The Dark Road
by Sarlinia
Summary: The lives of the Gundam Pilots lie in the innocent hands of their children. Will they choose the easiest road and run; or will they walk the dark road and fight, some sacrificing their lives, and some their souls (WARNING: violence, blood, rape, death)
1. Prologue

NOTES: Hi there, its me again…Rue Sorrows aka Sarlinia aka many other nicknames…pick whichever you want

NOTES:Hi there, it's me again…Rue Sorrows aka Sarlinia aka the many other nicknames…pick whichever you want.I have read many…_many_ second generation Gundam Wing fics.The children of the Gundam Pilots, new Gundam Pilots, the new Gundams…etc.Some are extremely good, and well written.

Just here's another one of those second generation fics, except me being Rue Sorrows and stupid, I try to make the plot as original as I can…or as my imagination lets me.

Now, once again, I am attempting to make a Second Generation fic that is not like the rest, so please give it a try.

First things first:

DISCLAIMER:YOU PEOPLE CRAZY?!Of course I don't own the pilots or anybody else that was in the series.Now the kids…well…hehe…they are MINE.Not yours…MINE.Got it?Good.

RATING:PG-13…umm…it might go up to an R depending on how sadistic I get.

PAIRINGS:Normal pairings.Do I have to list them all?It doesn't matter since this isn't a love story or romance or whatever…just read it and you will know.Don't worry; the story isn't focused on the couples' relationship, but the kids' relationship to their parents, and siblings.Its mostly friendship, I guess…but I might give hints of something is starting to go beyond friendship…that is, as I said, I might.

You have to understand something about me…I hate romances.I can't stomach them.There are only a precious few that hit me (check my favorites list…only one author there and her stories are romances!)Now if you have read most of my fics you will see that they all have nothing to do with romance, and if there is, it's only made obvious, but that's it.I think so far, Kingdoms' Masks has the most romance in it…(well, planned that is…I haven't typed much on it).

To make things simple:If I do have people falling in love, it won't go mushy, it won't be dragged.

Great, I made an essay out of the pairings heading.I'll just leave it this way so you people can see how my mind works…scary ain't it.Yeah, and I have to live with it 24/7.This mind even plagues me in my sleep.Though I have to admit, I wouldn't trade my dreams for anything.

Ok! Ok!I'm shutting up right now!

INTRODUCTION:

A secret fanatic group is out to separate the Space Colonies from the Earth Sphere.They call themselves the Liberators, claiming the Earth Sphere has been holding back the Colonies, and once again becoming dictators.But first, all opposition and obstacles have to be destroyed.The Liberators are mostly veterans from the wars, all still remembering the Gundams and the terror that they struck in the hearts of everyone in Earth and Space.Except the Gundam Pilots assisted in stabilizing the Earth's power over the Colonies.

The Gundam Pilots were the enemy.

The Gundam Pilots must die.

All obstacles had to be removed before the Glorious Liberation could begin.

But the Gundam Pilots are no longer teenage boys, but men with families of their own.Their children raised in a time of peace, with no conception of war, sacrifice, or death.Children, who for the sake of privacy and protection, have no idea of their parents' stained pasts.Children whose worlds are about to be torn.

Children who have to grow up fast or die as history begins to sadly repeat its bloody path.

**THE DARK ROAD**

**PROLOGUE**

"I saw two roads stretching before us.If we take the easiest, it will appear the best at the beginning, but darkness will fall at the end, never to be lifted.If we take the other road, it will be hard and difficult to travel.It could cost the lives of some we love, dear boy.Worse, it may cost others their very souls.But only through these great sacrifices may we find hope."

_ _

Fizban to Tasselhoff Burrfoot (PG 300) 

_Dragon Lance Chronicles:Dragons of Winter Night_

_By:Margaret Weis and Tracey Hickman_

Zara was bored out of her wits.She sank deeper into the sofa, sulking and pouting.Beside her sat her mother, back straight, keen violet eyes on the vid screen, watching with a frown as a man spoke about something about politics.Zara could care less!Zara was tempted to groan, but knew that she would receive a sharp little pinch on her thigh if she did so.

Her mother would not have any disrespect.

Zara looked up from her sulking position and put on the most pitiful expression on her face, hoping to get her mother's attention and sympathy.After all, Zara was thirteen and there was a cool show on the other channel that Zara had started to watch.Unfortunately, when her mother wanted to see something, it didn't matter if the president himself was watching something, her mother would watch it.

Only her father would have none of it.

"There are plenty of vid screens in this house, go upstairs and open that one."

Of course, then her mother would kick her father out their room for the night, but her father would only smile and go sleep in Shadi's room.That was her father, ever patient no matter what he faced.Calm in the face of an angry mother…_her _mother…her father was defiantly brave, even if he didn't look it.

Unfortunately, her father wasn't around to defend his only daughter from his wife from domineering the vid screen.

"Umiiiiii…"Whined Zara, unable to take the drabble any longer."I was watching something."

"Quiet."

Zara blinked at this, and frowned at the vid screen.Her mother had spoken to her in a whispering hiss, her voice strained in what sounded suspiciously like fear.Shadi sounded like that after his night terrors.Zara took a closer look at her mother, and this time actually saw her mother.

Her mother had her long blond hair tied in a tight 'no nonsense' braid, her face was looking pale, and sweat glistened on her forehead.Her lips were pursed in a thin line, and her hands that were resting on her lap were actually clenched tightly and slightly shaking.Zara had never…ever seen her mother like this.Not even when Shadi had that seizure after one of his night terrors, and had to be rushed to the nearest hospital facility.He had nearly died, but her mother had stayed calm and strong, just like her father.Her mother was not one to show fear at a simple speech.

Quite suddenly, her mother surged to her feet with a curse, "Shit."

Zara had been startled at her mother's sudden movement, but she gaped at the course language.This was the woman who had dragged Shadi in a headlock and literally washed his mouth with soap when Shadi had dared to say 'Go to Hell'.Course language was not tolerated in the household.Not in any language or form.

Zara nearly cried out when her mother grabbed her arm so hard that it hurt and pulled her off the sofa.Her violet eyes were wild with fear and worry when she asked, "Zara, where're Shadi and your father?Where are they?!"

Zara swallowed hard, almost feeling her mother's fear flowing into her.She was confused and frightened by this.But even though she was confused, she managed to speak, "I…I think in Baba's study.Umi…what's wrong?"

This time she did cry out in pain when her mother turned and started dragging her to the study in a run.The grip was like iron, and her mother's long nails were digging into her exposed flesh."Umi!Stop!You're hurting me!Umi!"

Zara stopped crying out when her father came in at a dead run, dragging a confused looking Shadi behind him.Her father was grim, and looked nearly gray as he looked his wife."They're coming."

Zara's mother nodded, "I know.What do we do?"

"You take the kids and leave."Was his immediate and firm reply. 

But Zara's mother would have none of it."Stupid.I'm not leaving you."

"The kids…"Hissed Zara's father through his teeth.He looked angry and disturbed.His hand held Shadi's smaller one protectively.Her father was always protective over Shadi.He didn't spoil him, but he never let anyone hurt him.Zara knew that her father was also protective over her as well, but Shadi was younger, Shadi was sensitive, and Shadi had those night terrors.Zara knew that her father knew that she could basically take care of herself.She was like her mother, tough.But Shadi was like her father, as her father had said tenderly many times, and that is what cut him deep.

"No!"Shouted Zara's mother.Then her voice broke, "No…I won't leave you.The kids will run, but I'm not leaving you.Do you understand me?!"Zara stared in awed horror as her mother suddenly broke down and started to sob harshly.When she looked she saw Shadi staring at his mother, his large violet eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Don't cry, Umi," Those eyes begged. 

Zara was had the urge to sneer at her brother and hiss, "Sissy."But this was not the time.This talk of them leaving…what was going on?Why would they go anywhere without their parents?

"I'm not going to allow you to be dragged into this too!"Her father shouted.Zara gaped at her father, as did Shadi.Hardly did they ever hear their father yell at anybody, and never at their mother.

But Zara's mother faced her husband's anger without a flinch."Make me then."She hissed through her tears.

Zara's father looked away angrily.He then looked down at Shadi who was pulling at his hand to get his attention."Baba, you can't make Umi come with us."

Zara gave her brother a dirty look.Why did the little brat act like he knew what was going on?She hated when he put on airs like that.He was eleven and sometimes acted he knew everything that happened inside the house and outside.This was the same boy who would constantly wake up screaming in the middle of the night, claiming that his nightmares were real.

Zara was about to hiss at Shadi to shut up when suddenly she felt the floor shake.Gasping she looked around with wide eyes as the mirrors and chandeliers trembled.A portrait of the present President and her father fell from its hook on the wall and crashed to the ground, glass and wood flying everywhere.

Her mother suddenly lunged at her father, embracing him, and dragging Zara with her.Zara stood stiff and confused as her father wrapped his arms around her and her mother, Shadi cocooned in between the three of them.Zara marveled at how her father managed to hold all three of them.Her father was not a big man, only a few inches taller than her mother.Yet still, Zara found herself thinking like a child again:Her father was the strongest man in the Colonies and Earth.

Then the four separated, and Zara's stomach knotted, and her throat felt clogged.Zara never cried.She was strong, and believed that if she cried then she would be weak.Shadi was different; Shadi was crying, and still trying to hold on to his parents.Zara wondered what was the matter with him.Fine they were leaving without their parents, but they'd just come back and see them again until whatever was wrong was fixed.

There was nothing to cry about.

Her father then turned to her, his eyes suspiciously misty as he spoke, "Listen Zara, I know you don't understand what is happening, and that you are frightened, but you have to stay calm.Take your brother out through the back, and leave the estate grounds through the secret passage by the lake that I showed you two a couple of years ago.Do you remember it?"

Zara had the urge to say boldly that she was not scared, but opted to nod.She remembered the passage, as did Shadi since they used to play in there.After all, Zara was too old to play in dank and muddy passages with her little brother, she was practically a teenager.

"Good," Continued her father hurriedly."Now, once you get off the land, go to the nearest shuttle bay, and rent yourself a small shuttle for the two of you…"

Zara cut off her father, "But Baba, what about our private…"

"No Zara," Her father was already shaking his head."You cannot use anything that has our name on it.Here," He shoved into her hand a load of credits."Use these, give me any cards that you have."

Again the floor shook, this time the tremors even more pronounced.

"Ignore that, Zara," Her father said impatiently, taking his daughter's face into his hands firmly, keeping her focused on him."Give me all your cards, anything that has our name on it."

Zara hastily nodded, now admitting to herself that she was frightened.Quickly, with shaking fingers, she pulled out all her cards, as did Shadi, and handed them to her father.He pocketed them, and then continued, "Once you're in the shuttle, place this disk into the autopilot mechanism."He handed a small black program disk."It will take you one of the Colonies, and will dock at a private docking bay.A friend of ours, Zara, owns it.He will help you once you tell him who you are and what happened."

Zara blinked at her father incredulously.There were so many holes.Which Colony?Who was the friend?Why was he not offering these answers?"Baba…"Started Zara, but she stopped when Shadi shook his head, silently imploring her not to fuss.

Zara wanted to hit him.

Their mother spoke."Go now.Run and don't you dare turn back, no matter what."

Zara blinked, this not making any sense at all.Why wouldn't they return?

Her father took her hand and Shadi's hand and brought them together."You two…"He whispered, his voice firm and more serious than Zara had ever heard him."Protect each other.Don't leave one another, no matter what happens between the two of you."He looked at Zara, and she swallowed hard."Zara, you are the eldest, and must take care of your brother.Whether he likes it or not, you know more than he does.But you must be gentle, Sweetheart.He is your brother first, someone younger and less knowledgeable second. Balance yourself, Zara."

Her mother made a noise to hurry, so her father turned to Shadi and said, "Shadi…listen to your sister.Don't give her a hard time.You are my son, and the man now.Protect Zara.Listen to her when she tells you something.You don't have to agree, just listen and think.Right now, you know more of what's going on, so you must tell her once you're on the shuttle.Be a man, Shadi.Please, you two are all you've got for a time.No matter what be strong, and don't let anyone break you apart.

"Protect each other…"

Zara screamed when this time the floor seemed to lurch, sending her sprawling on the floor.They all fell except her father, who quickly lifted them up."Go now.Hurry.Don't turn back."

He hugged them, and Zara once again felt the knot in her stomach and throat.Their mother hugged them, and then shoved them away.She was crying as she yelled at them, waving her hand threateningly, "Go!Dammit, what are you waiting for?!"

Zara stood frozen, unable to move.No.This did not feel right.She didn't want to leave.What about clothes?What about servants?What about those frightening shakes?What were they?No, she wouldn't move.

Then Shadi was by her, hastily pulling her away."C'mon Zara.Move it!"

Then, her father smiled, and Zara felt her eyes sting, and her vision swim.Why was it that his smile, the one that always sang of happiness and hope, was tight with despair?"Stop smiling…"She begged, so soft that only Shadi heard it.He lifted his head and looked from her to their father.Zara felt that he understood.

She finally allowed Shadi to lead her away.She wanted to reach and hold them, and never let them go.Why was it that this fearful farewell felt so final?As they rounded the corner, Shadi turned to her, his larger violet eyes pleading, "Zara, snap out of it.I can't drag you the whole way.Zara!"

Zara was shaken to the core.She understood a little now.They were running away.Something bad was coming and they were leaving their parents.They were running away, and their parents were going stay.

"Zara!"Cried Shadi.

Zara shook herself away from her brother's grasp."Don't touch me."She said coldly."Lets get out of here."

She saw hurt in Shadi's eyes, but chose to ignore it.She was hurt too.Swallowing bile that threatened to come out, Zara said, "Lets go, Shadi."

Shadi looked up at her, then nodded.He was crying.

"Stop it."She said as she started to run."Its not helping."

She saw the Shadi ducked his head.Well, at least she didn't have to see his tears.She wouldn't cry.No, she would be the strong one of the two.No tears would be shed from her. She would never cry.

*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*

_"…And breaking news:The radical group known as the Liberators have just stormed into the President of Winner Enterprises, Quatre Raberba Winner's L4 home estate, and have taken Mr. Winner and his wife, the Lady Dorothy Catalonia, hostage.The Liberators attacked the estate with one Mobile Suit armed with a beam rifle.How the group acquired the mobile suit,and beam rifle are still unknown.It is unknown if the couple are injured.No demands have been made._

_ _

_"Now, it has been reported that their two children, Zara Winner, and Shadi Winner are missing.Their whereabouts unknown.If you have seen them please contact the authorities of your Colonies.Zara is a female, thirteen years old, 4 foot ten.She has long blond hair that is usually in a braid or ponytail, and turquoise/sea green eyes.Shadi is male, age eleven, and is 4 foot 6.His eyes are violet._

_ _

_"Once again, if you have any information on the whereabouts of the two Winner children, please contact the authorities."_

_ _

**To Be Continued…**

EXTRA NOTES:So, should I continue or delete it from my mind?Is it different?Probably not that different so far.By the way, isn't Zara such a nice name?I met a little girl by that name, and I just had to use it!Where did I get Shadi from?Heh, well, if people wonder what Rue does for a living (other than study for classes), Rue works with kids, and one of the kids that constantly gives her a headache (but she adores immensely) is a little mischievous imp by the name of Shadi.And he's Arab!!!!Quatre is Arab, so it would be obvious that he'dgive his kids Arab names(I'm not sure if Zara is Arabic, though it does sound like it). I don't know a lot of Arabic names, other than the usual people always here, but this one just sounded nice and gentle to my ears.::smiles::Sorry, I'm babbling…as you can see I put a lot of thought to the names.

God I'm babbling again.

By the way, has this ever happened to you:A complete stranger, a person you don't know, starts a conversation with you while waiting for the stupid elevator, then suddenly tells you…these are the exact words, "You are too cynical.Your still to be young to be like that."

What were we talking about?Classes and credits.How can you be cynical about that?!

I mean, I wouldn't wish my life on anyone.But still, I wouldn't change a thing, cause it made me who I am.But since that…person…I wonder if I sound cynical without meaning too.I don't want to.I am happy, and I don't want to seem anything else.I mean, if you were happy and fine, would you want people to think the opposite?

To tell you how paranoid I am, I've been going around asking family members and friends if I'm cynical.

Iamnotcynical!!!!!

Oh well, gotta go!Read and tell me what ya think!


	2. Haunted Eyes

NOTES: Woooow…already, a new part

NOTES:Woooow…already, a new part.My my, I think I'm overdoing it.Ugh.Well anyway.Here we find out what happened to the two fugitives (Sorry, had to call them that).Who is this friend?Hm, guess you'll l have to read to find out.

Psssss….want me to tell you a secret?Hehe…at this moment right now at this very second, I still haven't decided who it is yet.Whenever I finish this part, I'll tell you who were my choices.

Yeah yeah, I've been babbling a lot lately…guess it's to make up for my non-existing social life.

Oh well, read!

**_THE DARK ROAD_**

PART I:Haunted Eyes 

**_ _**

Raven-haired Christopher was the heartthrob of the Colony.Nineteen years old, pitch-black hair, pale white skin which blushed easily, lean muscles after years of hard work in his father's business, and the most mischievous smile that hinted some sort of secret.All the girls wanted him, all the boy's envied him, and Christopher wished to be left alone.

Of course, having three younger sisters did not help.

All of them had their mother's dark hair, but while Christopher chose to keep his hair short, the girls chose to mimic their father:three giant dark braids that were extremely lethal if used correctly.They all had their father's deep amyphest eyes, that when angry or serious would turn a near dark blue.

Helen was the oldest of the girls. Sixteen and boy crazy.She seemed to thrive on giving her brother and father near heart attacks from the clothes she wore to boy's she chose as a boyfriend.While he and his father yelled at her to put something decent on or while they tried to kick out the unworthy suitors, his mother would stand silently to the side, her teal eyes brimming with undisguised humor and amusement.Once Helen was out of the house and Chris's father was pacing like a bristling lion with its territory trespassed, his mother would come and proceed to kiss the living daylights out of him.Chris would stand in awed horror for a few seconds before beating a hasty retreat with his tail between his legs.Fine his parents loved and lusted after each other…how else would there be four of them, but 'not in front of the kids' no matter how old they were, was not part of their vocabulary.

Sylvy was the middle one.She was fourteen, just discovering boys, but still believing that kissing with the tongue was disgusting.Still a safe zone, but for how long.She was outgoing, energetic, and the two got along better that the others.

Now Kayla was the youngest.Kayla was the baby.Kayla was a spoiled brat who got on the nerves of everyone.Chris had no clue what his parents did wrong with the twelve year old, but she was out of control, and acting like is was okay because she said so.Well, she didn't become so bad until that time she broke her leg after a freak fire in her school, and had been trampled on by the stampede of children and teachers.She was eight at the time.She had also knocked the frontal part of her head, and had to go into surgery, but there had been permanent damage there.All of them had doted on her, after all, it was a traumatizing experience, but ever since that time, she became the Queen of the World.Not only that, because of the damage to her brain, she had almost no control of her temper, which became violent at times due to her brattiness.

Sometimes, when Kayla was being very difficult, Chris would see a certain dark light in his father's eyes.They raged with anger, and sometimes horror, like there was something haunting him, and that Kayla's rages were only making them worse. Chris knew that his father loved all his kids, especially Kayla, but she made it hard for especially him.

It was the reason why Chris wanted to be left alone.Kayla had thrown a fit humongous fit because their parents had refused to buy her a special make-up kit.She had gone crazy, knocking things down.Chris had left, being the only one home other than his parents.He sighed as he thought of the girl.Fine she had anger management problems, but did she have to be so spoiled and bratty.All this over a stupid make-up kit…Chris was tired.

"Chris!" 

The young man smiled slightly at the voice that called him and slowed his pace so that Sylvy could join him.He looked down at her as she walked with her hands behind her back, and her ebony braid swinging behind her back.It was a death wish to pull the braid…any braid in the house.The braids were off limits to any teasing, fighting, or playing.Except Mom.Mom had the right to grab, brush, pull, or bring the scissors out.No one messed with Mom when she had scissors in her hands.

Sylvy grimaced, "What is it this time?"

"Make-up kit."Muttered Christopher dejectedly."She destroyed the china that Mom got as a gift a couple of years ago."

Sylvy's face fell, "Oh no!Mom really loved that set."She then grinned maliciously, "I guess Kayla ain't gonna get off easily this time."

"Oh Hell no."Agreed Chris.

Just then, Chris's wrist phone rang.Bringing his had up to his mouth he said,"Yeah?"

His father's voice came up from the other side."Chris-boy, I really need ya, son.This is dead important."

Chris nearly groaned.His father's idea of 'dead important' meant the mother was not cooking; therefore Chris needed to buy food from a restaurant.But Chris stopped himself from cracking a slight joke on his father's expense, for while his father spoke, there was something in his voice that was different.A slight pitch in his voice that he reserved for when he spoke of the wars, or of Death.

"Sure."Said Chris, giving Sylvy a serious look.The young girl frowned but waited.

"Go to our docking bay right now.Run, Chris.There are people at the docking bay that are very important.Go and bring them home, and if you can, make sure no one sees them.Can you do that?"

Chris said, "Sure Dad, but I have Sylvy here with me."

"Tell the girl to get her ass here, and to find Helen if she can."There was a pause, "Chris, please hurry."

"I will."

Chris shut the communication, and looked at Sylvy who now had a worried expression on her face.Her eyes near a blue rather than purple."You heard the old man.Lets get moving."

Chris turned to leave, but stopped in surprise when Sylvy grabbed his hand."You don't think this has anything to do with Kayla do you?"

Chris grimaced, "Not everything has to do with Kayla, Sylv.Get going."

Without another word, she turned and started running towards one of Helen's hangouts.Chris wished his words had not sounded as harsh as they came out, but there was no use crying over spilled milk.Heading toward their small private docking bay, Chris took off in a run.He had not liked the sound of his father's voice.He wasn't sure if Sylvy had picked it up, but it was something dead serious, and had nothing to do with food.

It was odd though, why were these people arriving at their private docking bay.His father only used that private one to bring in personal goods.What were these things he brought in, Chris had no clue.He had asked, but his father had only smile conspiratorially and told him to mink where his nose was poking.Chris had then tried to sneak a peak at some of the merchandise, but was caught red handed before he could open one of the crates.His father had told him that night that he had a lot to learn about sneaking into places.Surprisingly, any normal parent would have grounded him till he was thirty, but both his parents had just made him promise not to do it again and he was scot-free.He had been true to his promise, though his curiosity still bit at him every so often. 

But never, ever, had people arrived through the private docking bay.Who were they, and why all the secrecy.What was with this 'try no to let anyone see them' business?Maybe his father had finally flown the coop, but the man had not been raving or anything.He had been serious, dead serious, not a hint of laughter or mischief in his voice.His father only became like that when something that had to do with the war would come up.

Chris was smart enough to put two and two together.He knew that both his parents, some how or other, were involved during the war.His mother had flat out and told him that she had been for a short time a cadet in the former OZ organization.When asked why she left, she replied, "I met your father."

When he had asked his father if he had been a soldier, his father nearly fell to the floor laughing.But Chris knew that the haunted look that showed up at times in his father's eyes were of someone who had seen way too much.Chris had seen the same haunted look in the eyes of the old veterans that he had volunteered to help a couple of years back.Soldiers that had survived, only to live with the nightmarish memories of the past.

But what his father had done during that time was still a mystery.

Reaching the docking bay, Chris fished out his ID card from his pocket and slid it through the lock of the wired gate, immediately opening it.Chris slid through the half-opened gate and jogged into the docking chamber, also having to use his card to open the door into it. 

He stopped when he gazed in total shock the small rickety looking space shuttle that was parked there.The paint was burned off on one half, he could tell by the blackened charred paint on the sides.Steam billowed alarmingly from different places that had holes.What had made the holes, Chris had no clue.Once he had seen a shuttle that had been caught in a small meteorite shower, but those holes were way too small.Sparks flew from the two main engines, and even shut it was making choking sounds.Chris knew that the shuttle had flown its last flight.

Slowly approaching the shuttle, Chris called up loudly, "Hello…is anyone in there?"At that, the shuttle door opened with a loud hiss, and Chris squinted up to get a look at its occupant.

Chris's chin nearly met the metal tiled floor when a pale blonde haired girl peeked out from the entrance.Her large bright teal eyes shone with suspicion and a fear as she gazed down at him. She looked pale, dirty, and haggard, dark circles under her eyes, and her long hair was a complete mess, as if she hadn't brushed it in days.Taking a closer look, Chris saw that her clothes were wrinkled and smudged with dirt and oil; obviously, she hadn't changed or bathed in days either.They were also torn, he noticed, at the neckline of her shirt.

Seeing the fear, and ignoring his own confusion, Chris put on his most charming smile, the one reserved for Sylvy or his mother.Obviously, there had been some mistake and this girl's shuttle had landed in the wrong bay."Hi," He said, "I'm Chris and this is my father's private shuttle bay.Where are your parents?"

The girl's eyes narrowed, completely not taken in at all by his smile.Her pale hand rose and clutched at the side of the door, her knuckles white with the strain.Finally she opened her mouth and spoke:"What is this place?"

"Huh?"Gaped Christopher.

"What Colony is this?"

Chris frowned and asked a bit firmly, "First things first, kid.Where are your parents?"

The girl glared angrily at him and started to tremble.She then suddenly screamed at him, "Where the Hell are we?!Tell me!Please tell me!"

Once again Chris could only gape dumbly as the girl's knees buckled and she slid the floor.Now worried, Chris ran to retrieve his father's handy ladder, and brought it back to the shuttle door.The girl had not moved an inch.

"I'm coming up, okay.I'm not going to hurt you, so don't be afraid."He called up.Then, swiftly and agilely, Chris climbed to the top and came face to face with the girl.

She stared at him, her eyes wide, and growing wider.She was terrified.Seeing this, Chris reached for her, wanting to calm her down, but suddenly, she shrieked, startling him.The girl leapt to her feet, and fled inside. 

"Wait!"Cried Chris, "I'm not going to…"

He started after, and just as she ran into the cockpit, a crowbar aimed for his head appeared from his right side.Swinging in time not to get brained, Chris stumbled back into one of the passenger chairs and gaped as a boy, younger and smaller than the girl, came to stand in between him and the cockpit.

The boy looked like the girl, from the color of his pale short hair and skin, to his poor physical and clothing condition, except where the girl's eyes were an amazing teal color, his were pale violet, a shade lighter than his own.Also, his shirtsleeves had been ripped off, so that his thin, smudged and heavily bruised arms, showed.Looking at his face, Chris was unable to tell the bruises from the dirty, his face being covered in soot.Chris also saw that outside of the cockpit was brownish stains on the floor and splattered on the walls.

"Get away from her!"Growled the boy, even though he was trembling as he gazed up at Chris who was towering over him."I'll…I'll attack you if you don't!"

Okay…two terrified kids in a shuttle that looked like it had a very rough flight…where the Hell were the parents?!Chris raised his hands up and took a step back."Okay…okay, calm down.I wasn't going to hurt her.Who is she…your sister?"The boy stiffened but said nothing, even when his ramblings got worse, looking as if he too was about to collapse.

"Please," Said Chris, now afraid the child was going to faint on him."My father owns this docking bay.He told me to come here to pick up some people.Where are your parents so that I can speak to them?"

The boy blinked at him, then his eyes that were narrowed and frightened relaxed and slowly he lowered the crowbar just as the girl came out of the cockpit with a large lead pipe, ready for battle."What's your name, again?"She asked, her eyes narrowed, and unwilling to lower her weapon as her brother was doing.

"Chris…Christopher Maxwell.My father owns this docking bay.He told me to come here to pick up some people, though he didn't tell me who.Please, where are your parents so we can settle this?"

The girl's aqua eyes became just as cold as her voice when she said, "We're alone.Its just the two of us."

Chris could only blink at this._Fine, now this raises even more questions._

The girl said, "My father gave me a disk that programmed the shuttle to bring us here."She paused then asked, "Is this the L2 Colony?"

Chris nodded slowly."Yeah…is this where the disk was programmed to bring you?Here to L2?"

Again, Chris blinked at them as the boy had dropped his crowbar and was looking utterly relieved, but the girl still had the pipe to him.The boy attempted to smile up at Chris, then touched the girl's taunt arm."Zara, we can trust him."He said.

But the girl…Zara as the boy called her, yanked away from him and snapped, "How can you say that after what happened?!How do we know what he's saying is the truth?We don't know anything!"

Not understanding what she was saying, but noting the sound of hysteria in her voice, Chris said, "Look, just drop the pipe, I ain't going to hurt you.I just wanna know who you are so that I can take you to my father.My father will help, he's a good guy."

Zara glared at him, "Oh yeah?How can I know you're not going to try to kill us?How do we know you're father isn't one of them?"

_Run, Chris.There are people at the docking bay that are very important…_

_ _

The boy tried to grab her arm, but she smacked his hands away.The boy pleaded with her, "Zara, we can trust him.I just know it.Believe me, Zara, he won't hurt us."

Go and bring them home… 

The girl continued to tremble, and she let the pipe fall to the ground.Its clang echoed, followed by her hissing at her brother, "If you trust him so much, Shadi, then fine. But I'm not moving.Baba said that his friend would meet us here, but this guy doesn't even know us!He isn't Baba's friend!"

"But Zara," said the boy, looking extremely worried as Zara rocked dramatically, "He said his father sent him to pick up some people.His father probably is Baba's friend.Please, Zara, you're worse than me…"

Make sure no one sees them… 

"Leave me alone!"Shrieked the girl suddenly."I can take care of both of us!I am the one Baba put in charge, and I say that we can't trust him!We can't!We…"

_"Zara!!!"_The boy cried out as finally the girl fell over onto him, exhaustion and who knows what else finally taking its toll.Shadi fell under her weight, but held her to him on the floor, shaking her gently and calling her name frantically.

Chris, please hurry… 

Chris was sure now that these two, whoever they were, were the ones that his father spoke of.Their names sounded familiar, but he could not place them.But it did not matter.They needed help.

Chris came over to stand over the two, and was about to kneel to bend when the boy looked up, and growled at him, holding his sister closer to him.Chris said gently, "I'm not going to hurt her.I want to help.You said you trusted me, right?"

Shadi blinked, and Chris nearly bit his tongue when those pale eyes started to tear.Chris couldn't remember the last time when he had ever cried, all he knew that he was way younger than that boy.Why the Hell was he crying?He was getting help wasn't he?

The boy yelled, "I can take care of her by myself!You just show me the way and I'll carry her!"Angrily, Shadi wiped the tears from his eyes with his arm and glared up at Chris.

Chris could not help but smile at this, "I'm sure you can, but I'm also sure that you'd faint like your sister before you reached the gate.You're exhausted, but I am fresh, and am willing to help."When the boy looked away Chris said, "You're name is Shadi, right?"

Shadi lifted his head and looked at him.

"Listen, I can see you two have been through Hell, and I admit I don't know who you are or where you came from.All I know is that if I don't get you to my house soon, my father is going to kick my butt."

Shadi's eyes widened."Would be really?"

"Well, not really, but my father is really good with words so it might as well be the same."

At this, Shadi cracked a small grin.Chris reached out and asked, "Will you let me help you?"

Shadi nodded and Chris looped his arms underneath Zara and lifted her.She was light, but still he knew her weight would make itself known soon.Chris looked down to Shadi's worried face, "Lets get going.My parents will be able to help your sister once we're there."

So they left.Chris had Shadi use the ID card to open the doors since his hands were full.Then the two proceeded to go down the most vacant roads (which happened to be the slummy alleys).Luckily, they encountered only an old man who had mistaken the bundle in Chris's arms for yellow grocery bags.

As they were nearing the house, Chris tentively asked, "I'm curious.What happened to your shuttle?I've never seen one that damaged before."

He looked down and nearly stumbled at the look in Shadi's eyes."We were attacked."

For a moment, Chris could not say anything.One reason was at what Shadi had said, the other were the eyes.It was the same haunted eyes that his father had.They eyes that had seen too much.Chris did not press the subject, and Shadi did not offer any more information.

They both remained silent as they finally turned the corner to the gate to Chris's home.All the homes of L2 had tall white plaster walls surrounding the private property, and Chris's house was no different.They came up to a black iron gate, and there pacing, Chris was shocked and relieved to find his father.

"Dad!"He called.

His father looked young.His long chestnut hair that he kept in a long braid still sported no whites even though he was nearing his forties.The only things that revealed his age were the wrinkles that formed on his forehead and at his eyes.Those eyes.Chris had always known his father to have old eyes.Even when his father was in his twenties (Chris also knew that he had come a bit before both his parents had reached their twenties), his father's eyes had been the same.

His father turned to him and immediately broke into a run to meet him.Chris saw his father looking grim as he looked at the girl in his arms.His father reached to her neck and felt her pulse.After a few seconds he sighed and grinned, giving Chris a reassuring look (that was much appreciated)."Why don't you take her in and lay her in Helen's room.You're mom will take care of her."

Chris nodded and started walking, also taking notice that Shadi was keeping close to him.Duo smiled down at the young boy and stretched out his hand."I am Duo Maxwell, your father and I go way back, Shadi."

The boy hesitated only for a second before taking the older man's hand.Chris stood watching as the boy smiled good-naturally."My father mentioned that your name is Duo, so I guess you really are his friend."

Duo Maxwell looked up toward his son and said, "Chris, I'm sure she's getting heavy by now."

"Uh…right!"Stammered Chris, blushing slightly at being caught acting like an idiot.He hurried inside, not bothering to kick off his shoes.He was immediately met by Helen, who surprisingly was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt."Chris, take her upstairs.Dad said he was sure that someone would be hurt, so Mom got her kit ready in my room."

Chris nodded and turned toward the stairs.He saw from the corner of his eyes Kayla sulking on the couch with a pissed off Sylvy next to her.The two always fought, so Chris did not give it much thought.Climbing the stairs, he was thankful that Helen's room was the closest to the stairs, and went in to find his mother there and ready.

"Lay her down gently and leave."Ordered his mother.

Chris did that, taking care to be extra gentle.Before leaving he looked at his mother's serious countenance, and wondered who were these kids.Helen entered her room to help as Chris left.

As he went back down he heard Shadi asking, "Will my sister be okay?"

Chris came into the living room and found that his father had sat Shadi on a chair and was sitting on the coffee table across of him, his hands on the boy's trembling shoulders.

"She'll be fine," reassured his father."Hilde got some training in the army.She can handle almost anything."

Chris went over to sit by Sylvy who was looking on curiously at the boy, as was Kayla although she looked slightly impatient.Chris hoped she wasn't going to make a scene.

Shadi was saying, "She really knocked herself hard when we were attacked.She fainted for a while, but woke up after a few minutes.She had been hardly able to stand straight after that."

"When were you attacked?"Asked Duo.

"Three days ago, sir."Came the tired reply."There were three armed shuttles, and they shot at us.It was the one that had the beam cannon that hurt Zara."Shadi looked away, "I thought they were going to kill us."

Duo frowned and asked, "Were they aiming to destroy the shuttle or to stop it?"

Shadi clutched his head, "I don't know!"He cried, with a sob."Zara did all she could trying to loose and dodge them, but then she got hurt and I had to take over.If they wanted to they could have used that cannon to shoot right thought the cockpit, but…"

"They didn't.They were trying to cripple the shuttle to board it."Said Duo.

Chris gaped at his father."Was it a robbery?"

Duo shook his head, "No, Chris.They were after Zara and Shadi personally, not anything else."

Sylvy spoke up for the first time, "But why?"She looked at Shadi, "Why would they want those two?"

His father chuckled, a mirthless sound that Chris had never heard.Beside him, he felt more than saw Sylvy and Kayla stiffen.Both girls had noticed it too.The three watched their father stand, and place a hand on the boy's shoulder."Kids, I'd like you to meet Shadi Winner."

For a moment the three stared, the information not registering.It was Kayla who asked, "Winner?Daddy, isn't that the name of the rich guy whose been taken hostage by those Liberators?"

Shadi looked up, his violet eyes swimming with tears as he said, "Quatre Winner…that's my father.The Liberators came to our estate on L4, and attacked.My parents rushed us out…it happened so quickly…" He stopped and swallowed, and Duo patted his shoulder gently."Zara had no clue what was happening, but I was with my father when we saw the broadcast of the Liberators announcing my father as a enemy.He rushed me and Zara out, but my mother chose to stay with him.He gave Zara the programmed disk that would bring us here, but before he had told me that his old friend, 'Duo', would help us."Shadi grinned through his tears up at Duo, "I thought it was some kind of secret password or something, but then I realized I was wrong."

Chris watched as his father simply smiled at the young boy.Chris had to marvel at the way his father was handling things.He was calm and collective, even though there was and injured girl upstairs, and a weeping boy in front of him.He was calm even though his so-called friend (who obviously it was discovered that he _did_ have a friend) was taken hostage, and that the bad guys were after his friend's kids.All this, and even now Chris had the urge to start to panic.

But not his father.Panic was something his father never did.His father only laughed.

"What happened on the shuttle?"Asked Duo.

Immediately, Shadi turned extremely pale, and simply answered, "We were attacked, and Zara got hurt.That's all."

At this response, Duo frowned down at the boy.Chris winced, for he knew what was coming."I'm guessing your father did not say much about me, right Shadi?Your Daddy never talked about any of his old war buddies."

"War…buddies…?"Stared Shadi.

Chris looked at Sylvy and Kayla._War buddies?!_

Duo spoke, "I am Duo Maxwell, I run and hide, but I never tell a lie."He lowered his voice, "And I don't take kindly to being lied to."

If possible, Shadi's eyes widened so much that they seemed to demonize his face.He opened his mouth and cried, "No sir!Please, I promise you I'm not lying!"

Duo said, "You're hiding something, Shadi.What is it?I know that something else happened."

Shadi looked away from Duo to Chris.Chris had the sudden urge to hide under the couch.Though he wanted to save Shadi from the uncomfortable position he was in, he could do nothing. Shadi was staring up into Duo's face, shaking his head.But it was obvious that he was hiding something.What was he trying to hide?

Duo sighed and leaned back.He gave Shadi a sad look before saying."You were boarded, weren't you."

Shadi turned his head away, but remained silent.

Kayla snorted and got a jab from Sylvy and a glare from Chris.

There was a long silence, then finally Shadi dropped his head into his hands and sobbed, "I…I had no choice!I…had to…do…do it!"

Chris looked at Sylvy and Kayla.Both were confused, just as he was._What did Shadi have no choice to do?_

But Duo, their father understood.He knelt in front of him, so that they were eye level.Then, gently he lifted the boy's head and took hold his small pale, dirty hands.They were clenched into balls, and shaking.Duo asked, "How old are you, Shadi?"

The boy sniffed and whispered, "Eleven."

"And your sister?"

"Thirteen."

"Did she…"

"No!"Cried the boy."No…she had run to the cockpit and was maneuvering the shuttle, trying to break the lock the fighter shuttle had on us."

"Tell me what happened, son."Said Duo gently."I am not here to judge. I have no right."

Shadi looked at him, then at Chris and his sisters."But…how can you not?I…I'm a murderer!"

Chris could only gape at this.Shadi was anything but big.To him, Shadi looked fragile and a little sickly.Definitely not a killer.

Shadi started speaking."One of the shuttles locked on to ours.Zara was just waking up, when we were boarded.I had placed her outside of the cockpit, so when one of the men came in…he saw her.I was in the cockpit at the time.Our engine had failed, and I was trying to start up the backup when I heard her scream…"He stopped shaking his head. "I'd never heard her scream before…never.She sounded so scared…"He swallowed, a tear sliding down his dirty pale cheek."I…I ran out and…and saw a man…holding her.He was…he was ripping the front of her shirt…and he was saying stuff…to her…"

Chris felt his blood run cold.He remembered the pure fear in Zara's eyes when he had approached her.What kind of man would do such a thing?!She was just a kid!

It was then Shadi's voice hardened so that it was cold.For a moment, as Chris was looking at the young boy, he thought he saw Shadi's eyes flashing with a gold tint in the light violet depths.Not knowing if what he saw was a trick of light, he looked at his father and saw that his eyebrows had risen slightly.

"I grabbed a crowbar…I don't remember where I found it…it just was suddenly in my hands…"Shadi looked down at his clenched hands."I hit him on the back with it.He fell…and I hit him on the head."He paused, and frowned down."Zara ran into the cockpit…and I was going to follow her, but the man hit me…"His clenched fists started shaking even more. Though Chris was looking at his face, still unable to tell the soot from the bruises."I fell…and he went to the cockpit…he…he wanted to grab Zara…but I got up and hit him again, and I kept hitting him again and again and again…"

Then slowly, he opened his hands.He had dug his nails deep into his palms, so that he had four crescent cuts on each hand.His eyes widened slightly, and more tears fell.His eyes no longer cold, but terrified."There was so much blood…on the floor…on the walls…on…on me…"

Finally he looked up at Duo, sobbing. "I didn't mean to kill him…I just went crazy…I didn't mean to…"Shadi pulled his legs up and wrapped his arms around them, rocking as he wept."So much blood…and there wasn't any water…I tore off my sleeves cause of all the blood…all over…"

Sylvy stood suddenly and said, "Dad, let him get some rest."

Duo looked up at her and nodded, and Chris gave his younger sister a gratified grin.He could always trust Sylvy to be the one who notices things.Helen and Kayla majorly lacked it.Chris excused himself as being a guy.

Kayla wrinkled her nose."He should take a bath first.He stinks."

"Kayla."Warned their father.

But Shadi nodded, smiling through his tears."I haven't washed since we left L4.There was hardly and drinking water after the attack.We finished it almost a day in a half ago."

Duo said, "Then we'll feed and drown you in water.Then you can sleep a bit."

Shadi nodded and slowly stood."Can…can I see Zara?"

Duo shook his head, "Lets let my wife and daughter tend to her injuries first.Is that alright?"

Shadi looked about to object, but then slumped and rubbed at his eyes."I understand."

Duo also slightly slumped, "You're so much like your father.I don't even know where to start."

Shadi started at this, and he smiled slightly, but it wilted quickly."He would be ashamed after hearing what I have done.Its my fault that a man lost his life…"

"No!"Shouted Duo, his voice angry.He grabbed Shadi's shoulders and shook him, "Dammit!You're just like him! Don't blame yourself, Shadi.That bastard was about to hurt your sister, and you protected her.Yes, you accidentally killed the guy, but these things happen in situations like these."

Once again Shadi's eyes filled, "But all that blood…I couldn't even wash it off." 

Duo sighed and started leading the boy toward the stairs."Trust me…your father would say the same thing:In time, that blood will fade. But don't let it haunt you, and don't forget.Taking a life is not something to be simply shrugged off."

They went up stairs, with Chris staring after them.

He understood now.

Sylvy said, "I'm gonna start dinner.Yo, Kayla, come help."

Kayla stood and stomped to the kitchen, muttering, "Whatever."

Sylvy rolled her eyes and followed.

But Chris stood staring at where his father and Shadi had disappeared.

He understood now.That look that he would sometimes see in his father's eyes, and now in Shadi's eyes. Those haunted eyes that had seen too much.Those eyes…

The eye's whose hands were stained with blood…

The haunted eyes of one who had killed…

**_ _**

**_TO BE CONTINUED…_**

Eeeeee….God.Man.What have I got to say?Not a thing.

I can't think of anything to say.Frankly at this point I've forgotten what I had planned to call the next part (I always have plans).

Mainly my thoughts have been focused on what's been happening out there.

Pray people.Whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim…heck if you don't believe it God or prayer, wish with all your heart…

And if you want to know my thoughts on this subject, read my the fic that I posted on the 12th:**_Tale of Two Towers._**That fic has more meaning and heart to it than anything I have ever written in my life…(yes, even my pride and joy, **_The Targets_**).

Anyway, I don't know what fic I'm gonna work on next.Be patient people.

Sarlinia/Rue


	3. Winds of Change

NOTES:  Hehe…Hi…man, only four reviews…gee…whatever people, this is a good story, and personally I like where its going…heck I even dream about it!  Okay, this chapter is about Wufei and Trowa, and of course…the kids.  Hope you like it!

_Die:_  (pronounced Dyeah people, not die as in I will kill you)  Is father in Chinese.  (thankx Tomo Hataru!!!)

_Da:_  Is dad…Lore's way of saying it :p

WARNING:  Umm…nothing really, just teenagers a hyperactive chibi.  God, I'm gonna enjoy myself.  Also there is a memory of sort of child abuse…calm down!  It isn't what you think.  Just read, trust me.

Also, there ain't nothing happening between Trowa and Wufei ::glares::

Okay, on with the fic!

**PART II:  _Winds of Change_**

Lore hated sleeping.  It was a known fact that he slept the minimum, and then would be up and going till he practically had to be knocked out to get his minimum of five hours of sleep.  He would have thought that by now someone would have complained about this behavior, but no one did…except when they had first moved…after she died…

Lore sat up in his bed, rubbing at his eyes irritably and glaring at the world that was a total blur to him.  Squinting his dark green eyes, he reached for the small nightstand and grabbed his glassed and pulled them over his eyes.  Now he glared again at the world, this time able to see it clearly.  He knew that he could get his eyes fixed easily, but Lore was suspicious of doctors.  To have a man carrying a knife cutting away at God knew what while he was unconscious was not a comforting thought.

He had to be aware; he had to be conscious of everything.  

Getting up, he walked barefooted out of his dark room and into the sunlit hall.  Walking on silent feet, he went to the bathroom, and then proceeded to take a shower.  It helped him relax after sleeping.  Sleep was supposed to relax a person, but not Lore…

Never Lore…

He got out, and dried himself.  His glasses had fogged up, so he wiped them, then with his hand wiped steam from the mirror that hung over the sink.  He found himself staring at a young man of fifteen, slightly pale, with large green eyes, and flaming red curly hair that he wore slightly long.  With his glasses he looked kind of nerdy, but such things did not matter to Lore.  Leaning over the sink he glared at his hairless chin and cheeks.  

Blast.  Puberty was taking its damn time.

Sighing, he fought down a wave of jealousy.  Yanto had told him that at fourteen he had already started shaving.  Lore was fifteen and still as hairless as a girl.  Some guys got all the luck.  

Opening the mirror, he took his comb and brushed back his rapidly curling hair.  Then, wrapping a large towel around his waist, he opened the door to head back to his room, when a raven haired bundle of hyperactive energy leaped into his arms shrieking on the top if its little voice:

"LORRRRREEEEE!!!!"

The teenage youth barely was able to catch the child, before he slipped on wet feet and went crashing onto his back.  Hard.

"Dammit all to Hell!!"  Cursed Lore, trying to blink the red spots away while the weight in his arms wiggled and squirmed.  "Stop it, Twerp!  I swear once I can see straight I'ma going to kill you!"

The 'Twerp" as Lore named the bundle delicately, stopped all movement and lay still.  Satisfied that his word was obeyed, and that he now could see without having red spots dancing across the white ceiling, Lore sat up, still keeping an almost deathlike grip on the child.

A mass of raven black hair, topping a small round bronze face, with startling blue-grayish eyes that were filled with remorse looked up at him.  "I didn't mean to, Lore!"

Lore glared, "How many times has your dad told you not to jump up at people without warning!  Jeez, Yinli!  You nearly broke my back!"

Yinli clapped his small hands together and raised them up so that they were dangerously close to Lore's nose.  "Please don't tell my Die!  He'll be really, really mad if I do!  I promise I won't do it again!"

Lore believed him…at least the whole part of his father being mad.  Heck, the best word would be 'pissed as Hell'.  Yinli and Yanto's father was a force to be reckoned with.  The tall Chinese man had the most ferocious temper, which was usually aimed at either him, or Yinli.  Yanto was already an adult, so he hardly got into any fights with his father.  Thinking back, Yanto, when he was younger, used to fight with his dad all the time…but then one day, the guy (who had been eighteen at the time) just stopped.  He was suddenly an adult.  But before that…Lore cringed at the memory of how ugly some of those fights got.

Luckily, his father would come and take him and a toddler Yinli to another end of the house and play with them until things cooled down.  His father knew that he hated shouting of any kind, and would help him through those hard times as the war between father and son wore on.

Sighing, Lore nodded.  If to avoid another shouting fest, he would keep quiet.  He knew that Yinli absolutely meant his words, that he'd never do it again.  But Yinli was only four years old, and of course had the memory and mindset of one.  Yinli grinned so that the smile brought out his cute dimples, then leapt out of his arms and started running for Yanto's room.

Lore had to smile at this.  Yanto, now twenty was even taller and buffer that his father.  He grew his jet-black hair long so that it hung around his shoulders like a dark mane.  Yinli was about to wake up the lion.  Yanto slept like a hibernating bear, and he acting like a hibernating bear rudely awoken when Yinli woke him up.  Lore once dreamt that Yanto actually threw the little boy literally out the window.  When Lore had woken up he had started cracking up, and was unable to stop even when his father showed up, worried that he had lost his mind.

"_KISAMA!!"_

Lore chuckled and headed for his room, stopping as Yinli ran past him, Lore stayed where he stood when a tall figure rumbled past, large hands intent on grabbing certain someone's little neck.  Yinli let out a shriek and ran faster as his older brother Yanto caught up to him.  The shrieking continued when Lore finally moved, now safe to walk across the hall without being run into.  

Bt the time he locked the door to his room, the shrieking had become a massive giggle fest.  

Yanto would never harm Yinli.  Neither would lore, though the Twerp enjoyed putting him in difficult situations…like the time he hid Lore's textbooks and claimed that they were playing Hide and Seek with him.  Yinli was a handful…more than that.  There were three adult males, and a teenage male who could barely keep the imp in check.

God, the house really needed a woman, desperately.

Changing, he neatened up his room and bed then went out again.  It had gone quiet, meaning that the two siblings had gone off for breakfast in the kitchen.  Curious, Lore crept to Yanto's room and peered at the bed.  He grinned when he saw ice cubes on the mattress and floor.  Lore shook his head; the little one was defiantly brave.

But, he had to be, for Yinli was a Chang.  And Yanto was ferocious, a Chang.  Both took after their father, Wufei Chang.  The looked like him, from facial features to skin tone, to hair color.  The only thing both got from their mother was the eyes.  The stormy blue-grayish eyes.

But she had died giving birth to Yinli, leaving Wufei with a teenage boy and baby.  Lore's father had decided that since it was just the two of them, they would move in with Wufei, and that way help each other.  She had been dead a year already, and it was hard on his father and him.  Moving into the crazy Chang household yanked both of them out of the grieving.

He still missed her…his Auntie was the only thing he could place as a mother.  

Lore turned and smiled as he gazed as his father, who had come to look over his shoulder at the ice cubes in Yanto's bed.

"Sleep well?"  Asked the tall thin man.  His face was hidden behind a shock of brown hair that fell over on of his emerald green eyes.  The eye that was visible was gentle, which held a look of peace that only came whenever he looked at Lore, or when at Auntie when she was alive.  

Lore knew this man was not his real father, but it didn't matter to him.  His memories were a mystery to him.  He knew that this man on a destroyed mercenary camp had found him, that this man had been the one who picked him out of a metal crate he had been hiding in when the mercenary camp was attacked.  He remembered darkness and fear, then strong hands on him, lifting him out of the darkness and into the light.  Lore remembered looking into amazing green eyes.  He remembered the man carrying him away from the destruction, and he remembered his soft voice whispering softly to him to calm him down.  Words that till know, when he remembered them, calmed him down:

"Don't worry.  It's alright.  My name is Trowa Barton, and no one will ever hurt you again.  I will protect you.  Hush now, I will protect you."

But before that, he could not remember.  He could not remember the mercenaries or the camp.  He could not remember the attack.  All he remembered was Trowa taking him to live with Auntie.  He had been four then.  What happened before he had no clue.

Trowa had adopted him, and together with Auntie they traveled in a circus.  Lore was given a name, and last:  Lore Barton.  He remembered how everyone would whisper when he was around.  For amazingly Lore had his Auntie's red curly hair, and Trowa's piercing green eyes.  He could easily be mistaken for being Trowa's real son, and Catharine's nephew.  He had been happy at the circus.  It was an exciting life for any child to be raised around such eccentric people.  When he got older he was able to participate in some of the shows, being his father's assistant or Auntie's knife carrier.  He astounded the audience with his youth and flexibility.  He loved it.

But then Auntie had gotten sick.  Cancer.  She had not been feeling well for a long time, but had never complained.  By the time she went to the doctor and Trowa's insistence, it was too late.  Within two months she was dead.  Lore had been ten.  His father had been devastated.  The Manager had told Lore after the funeral that Trowa had never known any family until he had met Catharine when he was fifteen, during the war.  Trowa had no name to himself, had no family, and knew no one.  But Catharine had taken him in an treated him like an older sister.

It wasn't till after the Maremia incident that they discovered that they were actually Brother and Sister.  Catharine was his life.  He never thought of marriage because he didn't want it to get in the way of his relationship with Catharine.  But Lore was an exception.  Someone that Trowa and Catharine could love together.

Lore never understood this rational.  But after thinking it over, he decided that he could never understand it, for he had never lived without anyone.  He always had Auntie and his father…at least before he was found.

After a year, his father got word that a friend of his had lost his wife, leaving him with a baby and a teenage son.  Trowa had decided that it was time to leave the circus.  They were his family, but it was too hurtful with all the memories of Auntie.  Lore never objected to it, for it hurt him too being in the circus without Auntie.  So they came here to live with the Changs.

Lore never understood how Wufei Chang and Trowa Barton met.  They had said it was during the war, though neither of them claimed to have been soldiers.  When asked for details Wufei would tell him bluntly to mind his own business, while his father would tell him that in time he will figure things out.

Well, 'in time' had already happened and Lore still hadn't figured things out.  Though for some suspicious reason he believed that Yanto had.

"Lore?"

Lore shook his head, realizing that he had spaced out while his father was waiting for his answer.  "Umm..okay."

Trowa Barton was not fooled.  "You had another dream?"

Lore shrugged and leaned against the doorframe.  "It always happens, Da.  Why do you always ask?"

Trowa sighed and said, "Because, I always hope that you would one day tell me that you didn't have another dream."

Both Lore and his father knew that his dreams were nightmares of whatever happened to him with the mercenaries.  When Lore had been found, Trowa had taken him to a doctor…which Lore later found out was Sally Poe…Wufei Chang's late wife.  Lore had seen the records himself, and he knew that the mercenaries had abused him.  Yet still, he could not remember.  The dreams frightened him, but he still could not remember anything.

And every day Trowa would ask him about the dreams.  And every day Lore would tell him that he did not remember.

Lore smiled at Trowa.  "I'm sorry, Da, but trust me, you don't have to always ask.  If I ever do remember anything, you'll be the first one I tell.  And if for once in my messed up life I actually have a good dream, I'd throw myself a party so loud that the whole Colony would come over to complain about."

Trowa smirked at this, and Lore grinned cheekily.  "So, where's Master Beast?"

The smirk turned into a glare, "Lore…"

"Is he still hibernating?  Doesn't he know his cubs are eating him out of the house?"

Trowa pointed and accusing finger at Lore, "You eat just as much as they do."

"I'm a growing boy!  I need my nourishment!  Yinli is a half pint, and if Yanto gets any bigger he's going to have to bend over to get through the doors!"

His father rolled his eyes and took Lore's arm, propelling him toward the kitchen.  "Then you better get eating before the 'cubs' eat everything and leave you nothing."

Lore shrugged, knowing that his father had made a point.  He hurried away, sliding on bare feet into the wooden floored kitchen.  He was relieved to find Yanto and Yinli sitting and eating warm cereal, and a half-full pot on the stove.  He wasn't relieved when he saw the elder Chang sitting with his son.

So that explained the silence when Yanto and Yinli had entered the kitchen.

Wufei Chang was a big man, even though he was half a head shorter than his son.  He was defiantly a force to be reckoned with, especially since he was teaching Lore karate and other forms of self-defense.

Wufei looked over at him and waved for Lore to get himself a bowl and eat.  Lore did that, already knowing without a doubt that the man had heard his conversation with his father…he always did.  It was inevitable.  The man had the ears of a hawk.

Lore inwardly groaned, knowing well that he was going to have a loooong lesson with Wufei this morning.  It was a morning ritual, that after breakfast, Wufei would take his sons and Lore out to the yard and practice their katas.  When Wufei was displeased with one of them, that unfortunate individual would be drilled till the afternoon, the left alone to literally crawl to the shower to wash and relax aching muscles.

Once, when Lore had been twelve, he had yelled at his father that this was a form of child abuse.  But his father had only laughed at him and said that it wouldn't be so hard on him if he learned to keep his mouth shut.  Lore then complained that Trowa never took his side, and his father had patted his shoulder and told him that whenever the time came that Lore was right, he would side with him 100%.  That time had not come yet.

Lore shoved a mouthful of warm cereal into his mouth and blanched at its tastelessness.  He blinked when Wufei silently handed him a jar of honey.  Lore quietly thanked him and took it, noticing that Wufei had not taken his eyes off him this whole time.  Lore looked at Yinli and Yanto, and noticed that Yanto looked preoccupied, and Yinli looked confused.

Finally, Wufei spoke, "Lore, have you been watching the news?  Or reading the Colony's paper this last week."

Lore froze, afraid now that he would be quizzed on some current event.  He had read the paper a couple of days ago, but not for the last three days.  Putting the jar of honey down, he swallowed hard, and wished for his father to appear and save him.  "Um…is it…about the Winner incident…about the Liberators taking the head of the Winner Company and his wife hostage?"

Wufei nodded.  "Do you know anything else about the Liberators?  Do you know whom they attacked next?"

Lore swallowed and shook his head.  

Wufei grimaced and said, "They have gone after the Vice Foreign Minster Dorlan's husband.  Lady Relena was on Earth when the attack occurred.  But he escaped with his son's."

Lore nodded wide-eyed.  "But why would they do something like that?  The Vice Foreign Minister Dorlan has been negotiating all these years for peace between the Colonies and Earth?  Why would they target her husband when she would probably defend them and meet their desires?  I mean, do they want them for ransom to have her cooperation?  But then, why Winner?  For money?"  Lore shook his head, his eyes widening further as he wracked his brain for the motive behind the Liberators.  "They are not fooling around, that's for sure."

Yinli raised a spoon in the air and said heatedly, "That's for sure!"

Yanto was giving him a strange look that he could not place.  It annoyed Lore to no end, for he knew that the man knew something that he didn't.  Where in the world was his father, he _really_ needed back up.

"Trowa is going to the space-port."  Wufei said, as if reading his mind.  The Chinese man tended to do that, predicting what Lore thought.  Unfortunate, when it came to Wufei, Lore's thoughts were anything but nice, therefore Lore would end up in a tight spot.  Life sucked.

"Why is he going there?"

Wufei smirked, "We're having guests over to stay for some time."

"Oh?"  Lore raised a red eyebrow and pushed his glasses up.  "Who are they?  Are they from the Circus?"  Lore loved it when his friends from the Circus came over to visit.  

Yinli giggled, "I know!  I know!!  Die, can I tell him?  Can I?"

Wufei glared his younger son into silence.  Once Yinli had calmed down he nodded his head gravely.  Yinli's smile nearly split his face in half and he said excitedly, "Its that man that you were talking about, the one married to the Lady!!  He has two boys your age Lore!  It's going to be sooo fun when they come, cause then we all can play together!"

Lore stared at the little Chinese boy.  Then looked at Wufei blankly, "Huh?"

Yanto suddenly got up and stomped out.  Lore stared after him, having a feeling that the man was having trouble containing his disgust at Lore's cluelessness.  Lore had always idolized Yanto, though at times Yanto became annoyed with him.  But there were times that Lore would say something, causing the oldest Chang son to look at him in utter disgust at his ignorance.

It was obvious that Wufei saw Lore's look, for he reached and patted Lore's shoulder.  "He knows a lot, Lore.  It is hard for him to see other's that do not.  He must deal with it his own way."

Lore frowned angrily at where Yanto had gone.  "He could just explain things to me.  He doesn't have to get mad at me for it."  Lore sulked in his seat for a moment, then looked dejectedly at Yinli who was finishing up his breakfast.  "Master Wufei, what was Yinli saying?"

Wufei the traditional type.  Lore was his student and younger, and Wufei would be called what he was.  Lore didn't mind the formality…in ways he thought it was cool calling the man 'Master'.

Wufei gave Lore a long moment, as if wondering something.  Then he nodded and said, "Lady Relena's husband and her two boys will be coming here to stay for awhile."

Trowa blinked his eyes for a moment.  Then he sat up straight and gasped, "You mean they are coming _here_?!  Da is picking _them_ up!"  Lore gasped again.  "But Master, why would they come here?  Why would they come to us?"  Lore shook his head.  "It doesn't make any sense!  I mean, you and Da don't know the Lady Relena and her husband…"  Lore suddenly went quiet, his mind freezing at one thought.  "Do you?"  He asked finally.

Wufei smirked, seeming to be amused at Lore's reaction.  Yinli finished his food and bounced off the table, taking his bowl and on his tiptoes dumping the bowl in the sink.  Before the little boy could leave, Wufei told him, "Get your brother and go warm up outside.  Lore and I will be joining you two once we are done."

Yinli beamed, "Okay!"  The he scrambled out yelling on the top of his lungs, "YANTO!! DIE SAID TO GO OUTSIDE AND WARM-UP!!!"

Wufei winced and placed a hand on his forehead.  He gave Lore a rueful look.  "Both of them had to take after me.  Neither of them got their Mother's quiet sense."  He groaned.

Lore ignored this, and leaned forward.  "Master…do you know Lady Relena and her husband?"

Wufei looked at him again, and sighed.  "Both your father and I know them.  Heero was actually a very close friend of ours.  Your father saved his life, when Heero was injured.  And there was a time when I lost my sense, and Heero pulled me back."

Lore felt his mouth hanging open, but he didn't care.  "You mean that _Da_ saved the _life_ of one of the most _powerful_ men in the _galaxy_!  Master!  Lady Relena and Heero Yuy…are…are _famous_!  I mean…Lady Relena was once _Queen_!  And…and…I don't know much about Heero, but he is known for protecting her!  These people are…_famous_!  What…how could _you_ know _them_?  And how could _Da_ save _his_ life?  Or _Heero_ help _you_?  I mean…"

"Quiet Lore.  You're getting overexcited and confusing yourself."  Wufei stood up, and Lore was surprised to see that the man had already finished eating.  "Hurry up and eat, then we practice.  Hopefully after that you will be capable of clear thoughts."

Lore blushed.  Then he asked, "Does Yanto know all this?"

Wufei who was about to walk out paused and sighed, almost sadly.  "Yanto knows this and more.  It's a heavy burden that your father and I never wished for any of you to carry."  He paused again.  "The Liberators are going to attack L2 next.  The winds of change are approaching, Lore, and they will not be gentle."

Then he was gone, leaving Lore alone, confused, and unnerved.  Slowly he finished his now cold cereal, and washed his dish.  Then he changed into his white practice clothes and went outside to the back yard.  

It was a beautiful yard.  It had a flower garden, a pond with fish in it, and a bridge that went over.  It was Lore, Yanto, and Yinli's job to maintain it.  Cutting the grass, glossing the bridge, and maintaining the garden.  Lore enjoyed the work, though he hated it when he had to gloss the bridge, for he never seemed to be able to get the smell off him even after a shower.

Wufei and his son's were already there, warming up.  Lore watched for a moment then joined in.  Wufei had insisted that Lore learn Martial Arts.  Lore remembered staring up at the Chinese man for the first time.  Wufei had shaken his hand and stared into his eyes.  Then he asked Trowa if Lore knew how to defend himself.  His father had made an amused remark of how Lore could throw daggers as good as Catharine, but Wufei had shaken his head at this.  Trowa had complied after Wufei's insistence, and Lore had never loved his father more.  The thought of learning how to crack boars, and karate chop evildoers was exalting to his eleven-year-old mind.  Unfortunately, Lore found out from the first day that the art involved discipline, hardship, and a Hell of a lot of practice.  To top that, Wufei was a hard taskmaster.  But Lore loved practicing his katas, swearing that one-day he would beat Yanto in a match, or even strike Wufei just one blow.  So far neither had happened.  Yanto was nearly as good as Wufei, and yet he was unable to touch his father when they sparred.  What was even more depressing, was when Lore got cocky when he was thirteen, he had challenged his father, whom he believed knew nothing of self-defense.

Lore found out the hard way that though Wufei was a force to be reckoned with and made it known that what he was, his father was also a force just as strong, but kept his true self concealed behind a quiet and clam face.

"Lore!  You are being sloppy!  Pay attention!"  

Lore jumped at Wufei's sharp bark.  He felt himself blush, for he had allowed his mind to stray.  He stopped what he was doing, and started from the beginning.  He couldn't help but smirk when Yinli giggled and Wufei glared at him ceasing all noise from the little one.

_Punch.  Punch.  Kick.  Twist.  High kick.  Jab.  Block.  Turn.  Crouch.  Push up…_

Lore allowed his mind to relax as he performed the kata perfectly, only focusing on the swift and smooth movements of his arms and legs.  It never ceased to amaze him how just doing his kata's with the Changs calmed and cleared his mind.  He especially loved performing the same kata's together with Yanto and Wufei.  When they did them synchronized the power of their punches, kicks, and blocks were as if they were three times as strong and graceful.  And Lore had to admit that when doing some of the easier ones together with Yinli, they were a sight to behold.  All four of them.

"Very good."  

Lore completed the kata and stopped, bowing to Wufei who was smirking at him, his arms crossed over his chest.  "See what you can do when you clear your mind?  If  your thoughts are going North and South, you will be defeated.  You have to learn Lore that when battling, no matter what your mind has to be clear, or you will loose."

Lore took a moment to catch his breath.  Then he brushed some of his flaming hair away from his eyes and said, "I can still loose, even with a clear mind, Master."

Wufei nodded his head.  "True, but that is why you practice and get stronger.  You can be the strongest force out there, and utterly get destroyed because of what is in your mind.  Think about…lets say a hunter going after a deer.  The hunter is crouching in the high grass, ready to spear the deer that is grazing unexpected.  But the hunter's mind is not clear.  He thinks of his wife, child, money he owes…and he becomes sloppy, and moves.  The deer hears him and bolts, and now the hunter has no food for his family, and no hide to sell to pay his debts."

Yanto had also stopped his katas and was looking at his father.  "If the hunter is worth his salt, I am sure he would still be able to spear the deer."

Wufei's grin became hard.  "But will it be a clean kill?  There is no honor in making the creature suffer.  The hunter can spear it, and the deer will struggle and fight to survive, even though it is injured.  The hunter would have to wait till he gets close enough to slit the creature's throat.  But it had already suffered."

Yanto nodded, and gave Lore a look that said, "He always wins."

Lore smiled at the young man, happy that he had forgiven him…for whatever Lore had, or had not known or done.  And Yanto smiled back.

It was nearly two hours later, while all four of them were relaxing after finishing their practice that Trowa appeared, looking a little surprised.  Lore saw the look immediately, but Wufei asked before him, "What is it?"

Trowa said, "They're here."

Wufei stood immediately, as did Yanto and Lore.  Yinli  just lay down in the grass, ignoring all of them.  Wufei said, "Where are they then?  Did you let them in?"

Trowa's surprised look turned to a glare.  "Of course I did!  Just…"  He trailed off and looked back to the open front door.

Lore craned his neck to the side, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous Heero Yuy, and his sons.  He had seen Heero on the vid screen with Lady Relena.  But he had never seen their children.  He knew they had two boys, but other than that, nothing.  What were they like?

Suddenly there was a shout, a curse, then Heero Yuy barged him, dragging two teenage boys in with him.  Both wore jean pants, though one wore a green tank top, while the other a black shirt and a worn out jean jacket.  Other than the difference of their upper clothes, the two looked exactly alike.

"Twins!"  Gasped Yanto who was also staring in surprise as the man yanked the two teenagers in.

They were twins.  Both living images of their father, Heero Yuy.  Both had the tanned skin tone, and the cobalt eyes.  The only thing that separated them from their father was that their shaggy dark brown hair was worn longer than his.  

Heero was slightly taller than them, and a little heavier set.  He wore black pants and a white blouse that was unbuttoned at the top, and the cuffs rolled to his elbows.  His arm muscles bulged as he retained a strong hold on both struggling and red-faced youths.

"Let go!  You can't do this to us!"

"Tousan!  We won't let you abandon us!"

"This is so…stupid!  Kaasan is on Earth and has no clue and you just plan on dumping us here and leaving!"

"Tousan!"

"Tousan!"

_"SILENCE!"_

Both boys went still at Wufei's angry roar.  Lore was surprised when he saw Heero Yuy, who had not blinked an eye, smirk.

Wufei strode over to the boy with the jacket, grabbed his arm and hurled him onto the couch.  The boy stayed where he landed, only sitting up, his cheeks red.  Wufei was about to grab the other one, when he yanked away from Heero's grasp and said, "Don't touch me."

Wufei nodded and stepped back, allowing the boy who looked about to kill someone went to sit next to his brother.  The angry boy crossed his arms and glared straight at his father.  Heero Yuy crossed his arms as well and glared back.

Wufei nodded and sat down across from them, giving both of them a dirty look.  "My name is Chang Wufei, and this is my house.  I do hope that you do not disrespect your father like you have already on a regular basis."  The one in the jacket had the decency to blush and duck his head.  The other one in the green tank top turned stormy cobalt eyes to him.  

Wufei continued, "This man over here is Trowa Barton.  He and I are trusted friends of your father's"

"We guessed that."  Said the one in the jacket dejectedly.  "Or else he wouldn't have brought us here."

Wufei nodded.  "Good, so you do have brains."  If possible, the boy blushed to even a darker crimson red.  Wufei ignored the boy's humiliation, and continued the introduction.  "This man is my oldest son, Yanto.  My Youngest son, Yinli is still outside."  Lore then waved for Lore to approach.  Lore did, staring at the twin, and wondering how in the world would he be able to tell the difference between them.  "And this is Lore Barton, Trowa's son."

The one in the jacket gave Lore a shaky grin, but it faded as he looked at his still glaring brother.  "I'm Reiji Yuy.  And this is my brother…Ran Yuy."

Reiji looked away from his brother and back to his father, who was still glaring at his twin.  "Tousan, please you can't just leave!"

Heero Yuy turned his cold eyes him, and Lore saw those eyes become a little gentler, though his voice was hard and cold.  "The decision had been made.  There is no choice."

The Ran, who was still glaring spoke, his voice just as cold and hard as his father's, "What about Kaasan?  Would you abandon her?"

Lore shivered when the man's glare turned dangerous.  "Your mother knows about everything, and she knows what I will do and why I will do it.  You two on the other hand don't.  So shut up and deal with it."

Lore had never thought anyone could be as blunt and harsh as Wufei.  He had been wrong, for Heero Yuy was exactly the same.  Lore looked to his father and felt like he had been punched in the gut when he saw his father's eyes cold and dispassionate as he glared at the Yuy twins.  For a moment, Lore felt frightened of him.

"It isn't that simple."  Said Reiji.  Lore looked back to them.  "You wake us up, drag us out of the house in the middle of the night to watch these militia men destroy our home.  You bring us here and don't say word other than that you are leaving us with trusted friends.  I want answers, Tousan.  I figured that they were the Liberators, the same guys who attacked and captured the Head of WEI, but why would they want us?"

Heero said, "They don't want you, they want me."

Ran then spoke, "To get to Kaasan."

It was Trowa who spoke.  "It has nothing to do with Relena."

Reiji stood up and clenched his fists.  "Tousan!  If they are after you, then we will fight them!  We can help you, Tousan!"

"No."

Reiji went from embarrassed to angry.  "Tousan!  Stop being like this!  We can fight!"

"I said no."

"Why?!  Why won't you let us help you?  Tousan, where are you going to go.  It's clear that you're not going to Earth to get Kaasan."

"That's right.  Earth right now is the safest place for her…and the baby."

Lore blinked, and saw both his father and Wufei pale slightly.  Trowa asked, "Relena is pregnant?"

Heero merely nodded.  Lore suddenly felt a wave of pity for the man.  To think, being hunted down while his wife was pregnant.  Lore spoke hesitantly, "Why don't you send them to Earth with their mother?"

Heero looked at him, and Lore saw his cold eyes soften just a bit.  What Heero said surprised him.  "I remember you.  You have grown a lot Lore.  I am happy that you have thrived in Trowa's care."

Lore gaped at the man.  "You…you know me?"  _The_ Heero Yuy knew _him._

Heero nodded.  "I was there when Trowa found you.  We were five who were there.  Your father, Wufei, Quatre Winner who is now a hostage, one other, and I were all there."

Yanto suddenly gasped, "Quatre Winner?!  He's…."

"Yanto!"  Snapped Wufei suddenly.  "Now is not the time."

Lore backed away from Yanto and closer to his father when Yanto said darkly, "Then when?  Will you wait till everything is crashing down on our heads?"  Yanto glared at Heero.  "Would you wait till your sons here of it on the vid screen instead of from your mouth?"

Heero was not fazed.  "It is my choice."

Lore started to sweat, not liking this at all.  Tempers were about to snap, he could feel it.  He looked to his father and saw him looking at him.  Trowa then said, "Go out with Yinli."

Lore felt like dying right there where he stood.  His father knew that he could not take the shouting if it started.  But at the moment, right in front of Heero Yuy and his sons, Lore was humiliated at his weakness.  "No Da…I wanna stay here."

Trowa paused before nodding.  Lore swallowed and stared at Yanto's angry countenance.  He had sat down, glaring down at the carpet.  Heero was looking back to the twins and talking.  

"I am going to leave you two here.  Listen to Wufei and Trowa, for they are the only one's you two can trust other than me.  If anything happens, they will protect you.  Trust in them."

Ran stood and placed a hand on Reiji's shoulder, for Reiji was quivering with frustration.  Ran glared and said, "Fine then, Tousan.   We will stay here.  But at least you can tell us where you are going."

Heero nodded.  "L2."

Reiji blinked.  "L2?  Why there?"

Heero said, "Because that is where they are going to attack next."

Lore asked, "But who is there?  They seem to be after important people, but there is no one famous or important on L2."

Heero looked at him again.  "Your wrong.  There is someone very important there that they want."

There were three pairs of blank confused stares, one angry one, and two pairs of calm calculating ones.  Lore looked to his father, and when he saw the calm look he looked to Yanto.  He knew that Yanto would never tell him what was going on.  Yanto had said that it would either be Wufei or his father that would tell him what he wanted to know.  Yet now, looking at Yanto's angry features, he once again felt frightened.  He was dying to know the truth, yet he was frightened at what it was.

Heero looked away from him and back to the twins.  "Ran, Reiji…"  The man stopped and looked away, seeming not knowing what to say.

Ran then said coldly, "Then go."

Heero looked at the boy, his eyes showing a deep sadness as he gazed at Ran.  "I worry more about you than Reiji.  Ran…you are more of me than your brother…and if you continue this you will end up dead."

Ran's cold glare never wavered as he said, "I don't care."

Lore stared in mute shock at those cold words.  

Heero then seemed to get angry with this.  "Keep lying to yourself, Ran, and one day you will believe it."  He turned to Reiji, who was looking pale as he looked at his twin.  "Reiji…"

The boy looked away from his brother to his father.  The boy tried to grin, but it was shaky.  "Don't worry about us, Tousan.  We'll take care of each other.  I'm just worried about you and Kaasan."

The man seemed to grin at that.  "I will survive."  He promised.  "I always do."

He reached and clasped Reiji's hand tightly.  He then turned to Wufei and Trowa, his eyes now as cold as Ran's.  "After they hit L2 they'll try to locate you two.  I've already messed up their systems, and erased all data about both your whereabouts in the last twenty years, so it will buy you some time.  Watch the vid, and when they strike expect a shuttle to arrive within a day of the attack."

Both nodded, and each clasped the others hand.  

Lore stared at them, understanding that he was seeing something important, but not knowing what.  What was important about Heero Yuy, Wufei Chang, and Trowa Barton?  One was married to a famous politician, the other was teacher, and the last was a circus acrobat and clown.  He looked to the twins, and saw the twin looks of confusion.  At least he wasn't alone in this.  Then he looked at Yanto, and saw a pained expression on his face, a deep sadness in his eyes as he gazed at the three men.

Heero then turned and walked out, shutting the door silently behind him.  Reiji stared at the door for a long time, while Ran glared at both Trowa and Wufei.  Lore wished he would stop glaring at his father, for he had not done a thing.  He was about to say that when finally Yinli came running in, grass stains on his white training clothes, and grass in his black hair.  His small hands were cupping something gently, and his gray eyes were sparkling with life.

But Yinli stopped when he saw the Yuy twins,  his featured turning curious.  He then bounced toward then, stopping when he was right under Ran's nose.  "Hi!  You two look like each other!  Are you twins?  I've never seen twins before!"

The boy was looking down at Yinli in surprise, while Reiji smirked.  Finally Ran nodded, and Yinli gushed, turning to look over his small shoulder at Wufei.  "Die, they're twins!  Real twins!  Do they have the same names?"

Trowa smirked, and hid a laugh behind his hand, and Lore grinned, happy that now the mood had lightened, thanks to the small boy.  Wufei said, "Why don't you ask our guests?"

Yinli's eyes widened and he said, "Oops, I forgot!  My name is Yinli Chang, second son to Wufei Chang.  What's your name?"

Ran did not say anything, his eyes on Yinli's hands that still cupped something.  Reiji answered.  "I'm Reiji, and the that is Ran.  He has Speech Deficit Disorder, meaning he can't form words properly to answer you."  This earned Reiji a death glare from Ran.  But Ran then went back to staring at Yinli's hand.

Reiji leaned down so that he was at eye level with Yinli.  "What are you hiding?"  He asked curiously.  Lore took a step back, as did Wufei and Trowa.  Yanto stayed where he sat, but had an expectant look on his face.

Yinli grinned from ear to ear and thrust his hands under Reiji's nose.  "Look what I caught!"  He opened his hands.

Reiji's eyes turned into saucers and he yelped in shock, causing Yinli to jump in surprise, which caused the thing he held to fly out of his hands, and onto Reiji's face (which had been only two inches from Yinli's hands).  Lore's jaw dropped as a very large and hairy tarantula hung onto Reiji's nose, the boy having gone gray and staying crouched, obviously too frightened to move for fear the insect would bite him.

"Oh, sorry."  Yinli, oblivious to the fact that the insect was a tarantula, reached and plucked it off of Reiji's nose, cradled in carefully, and walked away back to the yard pausing only to show it off proudly Trowa and Wufei.  

Once he was gone, Reiji, who still had not regain his color went to his knees and buried his face in his hands and gasped, "What the Hell was that?!"

It was then that Ran did something that made Lore jump in his skin in fright.  Throwing his head back, he laughed.  It was a strange sound, making Lore believe that it was not heard often.  Ran collapsed onto the couch, clutching his sides, roaring in gales.

Reiji turned red and glared at his brother.  "Yeah, sure!  I bet you wouldn't be laughing if that thing was on your face!"

Lore shook his head at the scene, and was about to help the unfortunate boy back to his feet when he remembered Wufei's words from earlier.

_"The Liberators are going to attack L2 next.  The winds of change are approaching, Lore, and they will not be gentle."_

Lore shivered.  Change had come with these two boys and their father.  More change would come when this shuttle arrived.  Would it be as Wufei had said?  

He didn't want to know.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Ok.  Done with this chapter.  So, what do you think of them?  Yuy twins, adoptive Barton, and a disturbed Chang, and hyper as Hell chibi Chang.  Do they agree with you?  Hope they do.

Any questions, comments, analysis…I'm sure you know how to reach me.  If not here:

Sarlinia@hotmail.com

I hope more of you will read this fic.  

And um…just as a future warning, this fic is used for me to vent out all of the nastiness in the world.  Meaning it is going to get very dark and violent.  Wanna know what I have in store?  Then here's a small list:

Torture

Death

Rape

Betrayal

Madness

These kids will have to face this.  Like the quote in the prologue said, it is hard to travel, and not all of them will survive…some will even loose their souls.  I know that your going to hate me to Death, but I have already decided who will die (only one for sure right now)…who will get raped (hehe…not telling…but don't worry, nothing explicit…can't stomach it)…who will get tortured (not changing my mind), who will betray them (my lips are sealed), and who will go crazy.

This is a silent war that will be raged, one that will be blocked out, and forgotten except for those who fought in it.  I am sticking to what was said in the end of Endless Waltz:  that the Gundams never had to be used again.  Meaning, sorry, no Gundams.  

So, if you wanna read this, go on, and welcome to my dark side.  If you can't take it, don't read it, please.  You have been warned.

Rue Sorrows

Spirit of Guilt ad Regret


	4. Innocence Lost

NOTES:  Hi!  Me again.  Yes, I'm still alive.  No, I haven't forgotten this fic.  As I've said in the other notes on my other works, I have been sick, and have developed very very nasty Arthritis.  Basically, I'm not supposed to do anything strenuous with my joints…among them is typing lovely fanfics like this.  But, if I pace myself right, and I can get my crazy stories typed and ready to upload.  So, no worries.

All right…now we are back to the Maxwell household on L2.  The four Maxwell kids are there, Duo, Hilde, and the two Winner kids.  

BIG WARNINGS:  Violence, blood, Death.  Implications of rape.  Just read the little theme quote I have for this chapter.  It generally explains the chapter!

Alright!  READ!

**Part III: _Innocence Lost_**

****

_Chorus:  Why do you cry out thus, unless of some vision of horror?_

_Cassandra:  The house reeks of death and dripping blood._

_Chorus:  How so?  'Tis but the odor of the altar sacrifice._

_Cassandra:  The stench is like the breath from the tomb._

_Aeschylus, Agamemnon_

****

The smell of French toast tickled Shadi's nostrils, slowly urging his eyes to open and obey the rumblings of his stomach.  Lifting his head, he blinked blearily at his surroundings.  It took him a moment to realize that he was not in his room in the mansion, but in a girl's room judging by the white sheets and white canopy with purple flowers spattered on the surface.  Slowly he sat up, and looking down at himself he found that he was wearing clothes that did not belong to him.  The t-shirt that he wore was sizes too large, and the shorts he wore…

He squinted at them then flinched.          

Had the clothes design named: _Feminie._  A women's clothes designer.

He had to urge to shout for Zara, demanding what kind of sick joke she was trying to play on him, and who dared to undress him.  It was then a surge of memories hit him, causing him to gasp and nearly hurl.

He remembered…he remembered everything.

Swallowing the bile that made his throat burn, he slowly slid off the bed and stood on bare feet.  He was in the Maxwell household on L2.  Duo Maxwell was his father's trusted friend.  And Zara…

Zara!

Breaking into a run, Shadi scrambled out of the room, nearly tripped down the narrow stairs and stumbled into the family room where he found Christopher Maxwell sitting alone on the couch, glaring daggers at the vid screen that was shut and black.  Shadi stood there, staring at the man, not knowing what to do.  He knew that the young man had helped him, carrying Zara to Duo Maxwell, his father.  But the man had a feeling about him, one of confusion and anger.  Shadi did not know how to deal with him at all.

Christopher turned and looked at him, his violet eyes narrowed and dark, compared to Shadi's own light violet/gray eyes.  He was angry, Shadi knew, but at what?

"Finally, thought you'd sleep forever."

Shadi did not know how to answer this, blushing slightly.

Christopher waved his hand, "Never mind.  You hungry?"

The young boy's stomach growled, answering the other's question without Shadi's consent.  This made Chris smirk slightly, and Shadi felt a sense of relief.  A smiling Chris did not seem as dangerous and an angry Chris.  

"Your sister woke up about three hours ago.  Zara, right?"  Shadi nodded.  "Yeah, she's in the kitchen with my sisters…" He paused again and looked at Shadi's state of dress.  

There was a silence.

Then Chris snorted, and Shadi bristled angrily.  Chris raised his hands and said gently, "Hey, don't get angry at me!  I wasn't the one who dressed you!  You can go yell at my dad, he's the one who dressed you up when you decided to faint in the bath!"

Shadi turned pale.  "I what?"  No…he so did not…

Chris seemed to take pleasure at the boy's horror.  "Yeah, we had to break the door down cause you weren't answering.  Dad thought you'd gone and slit your wrists or something, but there you were, sleeping like a baby."

"Quiet!"  Shouted Shadi angrily, knowing that his face had turned into a bright tomato.  "Its not funny!"

"Actually, it is."

Shadi gave the man a dirty look that usually was reserved for Zara; he had never met anyone so rude and inconsiderate other than her.  But at least Zara was his sister.  They were not supposed to get along and at times be nasty to each other.  Siblings fought and hated each other's guts.  It was a Law of Nature.  Yet this guy was a total stranger…

With three sisters…

Chris seemed to see the frozen horrified look come over the other's young face, and asked, "What's the matter now?"  

The look of total panic in Shadi's eyes made Chris want to laugh even more, but he remained in control…until Shadi asked, "Did…did your sisters…they didn't…"

A huge grin was plastered over Chris's face, seeming to curl evilly.  Shadi moaned, mortified, and collapsed into the love seat, covering his burning face into his hands.  Chris burst out laughing, and went over and ruffled the boy's light blond hair.  "You have no luck, kid.  That's for certain.  But if it makes you feel better, only Sylvy saw you.  Heck, those are her shorts you're wearing.

Shadi whimpered.  Yes, he remembered Sylvy.  She was the middle one.  Helen was the oldest and she was taking care of Zara with her mother, Mrs. Hilde.  Kayla was the youngest, though she was older than him. But Kayla seemed always pissed at something.  Sylvy was the calm one with gentle eyes.  

Such pretty eyes…

"Shadi!"

Shadi jumped in surprise and lifted his head, meeting Zara's teal gaze.  His older sister gave him a withering look as she leaned in close to him.  "What are you doing?"

Zara was also wearing different clothes, though hers fit perfectly.  Her long blond tresses, though, had been cut so that now it hung at her shoulders, pulled back by a gray bandanna.  Startled, Shadi reached tenderly and touched the severed strands,  "Zara…"  

Suddenly he shivered, feeling and odd, yet strong sense of doom…  

The girl's eyes melted slightly from their withering look, and gently pulled his hand away.  "They had to cut it, because it had been burned."

"From…from the explosion."  Whispered Shadi, he found that he felt chocked up, like he couldn't breathe…

Zara sighed and said, "Yeah."

"But…but Baba loved your hair long!  And Umi…"

Zara's eyes flashed angrily and she snapped, "Stoppit! You think I didn't know that?  My hair was burned, Shadi, meaning it was dead!  So stoppit!  Quit looking at me like I'm going to die cause I cut my hair!"

Shadi visibly cringed and her harsh tone.  Usually he would snap back at her, but he didn't feel up to a verbal battle with his sharp-tongued sister.  Anyway, she always beat him in these battles.  Not wanting her angry with him while he was feeling vulnerable, he changed the subject.  Taking a reign of his approaching and uncalled for panic attack, Shadi opted to change the subject.  Once he got his voice under control he managed to ask, "How are you feeling?  You scared me when you fainted and wouldn't wake up."

For a moment she did not answer.  She stayed leaning over him, her eyes never leaving his face.  He knew that she noticed his almost panic attack.  Thankfully, she did not say a word about it.  Instead Zara sighed and said in an almost gentle tone,  "I'm much better.  Helen and Mrs. Hilde are really good.  Helen wants to be a doctor, did you know?"

Shadi shook his head and looked over to Chris who had been silent the whole time since Zara came in.  

Zara straightened and said, "Well, she does.  She's real nice, and so is Sylvy.  I was helping them all make French toast.  It's been real fun.  Too bad Umi and Baba decided that two kids were enough.  Having sisters is kinda fun."

Chris groaned, and Shadi made a face.  "Yeah, fun for the girls.  Baba told me all the horror stories about him and all our Khalat.  One sister is enough!"

"Thank you!" Said Chris suddenly with enthusiasm, patting Shadi on the shoulder heartily.  "We men have to stick together!"

Zara shrugged, "Your just a little boy, Shadi.  And it shows how much you know.  Since you don't appreciate me, you can make your own French toast."

"What!"  Gaped Shadi flabbergasted at how Zara had twisting things…again.

Zara turned and started to walk away, then looked Chris over her shoulder.  "I'm sure Helen and Sylvy will agree as well."

"Hey!"  Shouted Chris, jumping to his feet.  "Don't get in between me and my breakfast!  Or next time you faint, your carrying yourself."

Zara gave him a sly smile.  "I agree."  She flicked her newly shortened hair over her shoulder and disappeared into the kitchen where the sounds of female voices drifted out…as well as the smell of freshly made French toast.  

Chris gave Shadi a chagrined look, but Shadi ignored the other.  He was feeling sick, and it had nothing to do with Zara's bad temper.  Once again her curled his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.  His sad thoughts drifted to his parents, praying that they fared well, and those men who had attacked were treating them kindly.  He still wasn't sure what those men were after.  Zara and him had seen their mansion getting destroyed by the mobile suit. At first they had feared that their parents had perished within the crumbling walls.  Thankfully, Zara had a will as strong as steel, and had dragged him to the shuttle bay, boarded and escaped.

Then they had been attacked.  What did those men want to gain by trying to capture them?  And that man…the one who had grabbed Zara…the blood…

Shadi gasped and cried out as his shoulders were grabbed.  He blinked his eyes and found Chris scowling at him, "Stoppit!  What the Hell is the matter with you?"

Shadi choked on his words, not understanding why the Maxwell son was angry with him.  

Chris let him go and huffed, "You started making moaning noises and were scratching at your hands.  Look for yourself."

Shadi blinked at Chris incredulously then lifted his hands and looked down at them.  Red welts crisscrossed the inside of his palms, in some places he had torn the skin.  Shadi gaped at his hands in horror.  He had done this to himself?  But that was impossible…yet it was like his hands were still covered in blood…so much blood…

Shadi looked up at and stared at Chris.  He really did look frightening when he was angry.  Shadi forced a smile on his face, a smile that he had seen his father put on when something was wrong and he didn't want to show it.  "I'm sorry," He said, "I must not be thinking."

The smile worked its charm, throwing Chris off.  He looked confused for a moment then shook his head saying softly, "Look, I can't say I know what your going through, but whatever it is…" He stumbled over his words, but Shadi remained smiling sweetly up at him.  This seemed to anger Chris as he snapped, "What are you smiling at?  What is the matter with you?"

"Chris…who are you yelling at?"

Shadi and Chris turned to look at the speaker at the same time.  Shadi felt the blush coming back.  It was her…Sylvy!  She had a curious expression on her pale beautiful face, her dark violet eyes twikling slightly under the artificial light, her long black tresses tied in a light braid she had draped over her shoulder.

"Huh?"  Chris seemed just as stunned as he, but for different reasons.

Sylvy huffed slightly and walked past her brother, practically pushing him out of her way as she threw herself down next to Shadi and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.  Shadi nearly had a heart attack, and knew his face had turned the color of a tomato.  Try as he might he could not bring himself to meet those star lit violet eyes.

She glared up at her brother and said accusingly, "Are you already yelling at him, Chris?  I swear you can be so insensitive!"  She then turned those beautiful eyes to him.  "Don't pay any attention to him, Shadi.  He's just a huge ogre."

Chris sputtered, and Shadi could not help the shy smile that tugged at his lips.  

"How are you feeling?"

Shadi knew it would be very rude of him if he did not look up.  His father had always told him that when speaking to someone he had to look them in the face.  But his father had never met Sylvy…

Shadi lifted his head and found himself drowning into twin pools of amethyst jewels.  Working his jaw, which seemed to have gone numb he managed to say softly, "Fine…thank you."

The girl seemed to hug him closer as she said in the gentlest voice he had ever heard, "That's good.  I was worried when father carried you out of the bathroom.  I can't imagine what you must have gone through."  She let him go and looked away, her eyes downcast.  "We all heard on the vid screen what happened to your parents.  You must have seen your home destroyed."

Shadi looked at her, wishing he could take away the look of distress that marred her perfect features.  Like Chris, the look of anger or sadness did not suite her.  

Shadi asked hesitantly, "Did…did the vid say anything about…my parents.  Are..are they hurt?"

It was Chris who spoke.  "We don't know.  All we can tell you is that they are alive, but being held by those stupid Liberators."

Shadi then remembered.  That night of the attack, his father had been watching the vid in his office room.  Shadi had been helping his father to file some of his business documents.  He remembered hearing a man yelling something about 'traitors' being dealt with.  But what did any of this have to do with his father?  Did they want the money?

****

Shadi's thoughts came to a complete and utter halt when Sylvy reached and started playing with her hair.  He could tell it was a nervous gesture, the way her thin white fingers tugged at the braid, yet this simple gesture made the panic return.   It made Shadi feel, like Zara's cut hair, a sense of oncoming doom and death.  But this time, it was stronger, and Shadi began to gasp for air.

"S-Shadi…what's wrong?"  It was Sylvy's voice he heard, filled with concern and a little fear.  

Shadi felt like shrieking in horror, he did not want to hear that tone from her voice.  He leapt up, trying to distance himself from that feeling that was choking him.  He couldn't breath…there as something in the air that was choking him….

"Hey kid, what the Hell is wrong with you?"  That was Chris, once again sounding angry.

"Shadi!  Please, what's wrong?!"

I know that smell…I know that smell…I can't breath from that smell…It's choking me that smell…

"Zara!  Its your brother!"

"What happened?"

"We don't know.   H-He was fine, then he started to hyperventilate!"

I know what it is…

"Chris did you do something?"

"What the Hell!  I didn't do 'nothing, Helen!  Tell her Sylvy!"

"Heh.  He looks like he's going to scream."

"Shut up, Kayla, you're not helping!"

_I've smelled it before…_

"He's having a panic attack.  It happens sometimes, but usually it happens when he has a nightmare or something."

"Make him stop!  Calm him down!  Do something!"

"I don't know how!  Umi and Baba always sent me away when he got like this!"

_Some one help me!  The smell, it's…_

"Shadi!  Shadi, please, snap out of it!"

"Sylvy, don't touch him!  He might lash out!"

"He's going to scream!  Do it!  Go ahead!"

It's… 

"Why you little…"

"Zara don't!"

"Helen, can you give him a sedative?"

"Right, I'll get it."

Help me… 

"Scream!  Do it!  No one will hear you anyway, so just do it!"

"Kayla SHUT UP!"

Its blood…I smell blood…and… 

Suddenly something large and hard rammed into Shadi, knocking him back on the floor.  He gasped, feeling air surge into his burning lungs.  Red and black spots spotted his eyesight, and he blinked dizzily at the person who knocked him down, and who was now leaning over his face.

Kayla Maxwell, the youngest child of the Maxwell children, had Shadi practically pinned beneath her.  She was slightly larger than Shadi, and heavier built.  Behind them, the rest of the Maxwell siblings gazed in shocked horror, and Zara stared in awed rage as Kayla leaned close and whispered into Shadi's ear, her voice hissing and harsh, "I know…I know…" 

Its blood…I smell blood…and… 

The girl lifted away slightly, so that the two were facing each other, face to face.  Their eyes met and Shadi gazed into the most grief-stricken eyes he had ever seen.  Eyes that were in the brink of insanity, and knew it.  

That smell… 

"I know…" She whispered, so softly that only he could hear, "I know what its like to scream…and no one hears…"

It's all over the house… 

"No one hears… no one listens… no one comes to save you…"

It's coming… 

"Like no one came to save me when I screamed…"

Blood and… 

"I know…I know…"

And Shadi whispered so only she could hear…

"Death."

And she nodded, "Yes."

Then she was off him, yanked off by Chris who pratically threw her onto the couch while Zara latched onto him.  Everyone was screaming, anger and tension sizzled through the air.  Most of it was coming from Zara, who was caught in between yelling at Shadi for being a weak idiot, and Kayla for daring to touch him.  Chris was looming over Kayla, his voice loud and booming.  Helen and Sylvy were by him, helping him to his shaky feet and guiding him to the love seat.  Shadi stared at them, watching in slow motion as he sat down.  He saw all their mouths moving, bit heard nothing.  He looked over past Chris to Kayla, who sat silently, staring up at her elder brother as he shook the walls with his bellowing.  

Shadi felt dizzy, horrified at what had been revealed to him.  Run.  They had to run.  They had to escape.  He opened his mouth to warn them, to tell them what was coming…what was…

"Hey…" It was Helen who stood up in attention, a frown knotting her fine brows.  "What's that noise?"

Everyone settled down, even Zara who still looked like she wanted to rip Kayla's throat out.  What they had not heard before because of their ruckus, was the crackling sound coming from outside.  It sounded like an old motorcycle, or even firecracker (which were prohibited on the colony, though people continued to smuggle them in for celebration of the End of the One Year War over 25 years ago).  All six youths stood still and listened in curiosity as the sound got louder, and closer.

Chris looked at his sisters, and then started toward the front door.  "I'm going to…"

But suddenly the door burst open, and Duo Maxwell came in, cradling in his arms Hilde.  He shoved past an astounded Chris and gently laid his on the couch.  It was then Helen screamed and everyone noticed the blood on Hilde's chest, and all over Duo.  Her eyes were closed, her features still and gray.  A thin line of blood trickled down her chin.  She did not move.  She would never move.

She was dead.

"Mom!  MOM!"  Shrieked Sylvy, running to her mother's side, but her father caught her and held her back.  Helen slowly fell to her knees.  Kayla, who sat on the love seat curled into a ball and buried her head into her arms, rocking slightly.  Zara clutched at Shadi.  And Chris stood gaping his mouth moving, but no words coming out.

Duo whirled around, hurling a hysterical Sylvy into Chris who instinctively wrapped his arms around her and held her to him as she struggled.  Duo stalked away from his dead beloved, and grabbed Kayla's thin arm, yanking her roughly up.  Surprisingly, she did not protest, but obediently followed him as me marched to the fallen Helen and yanked at her arm as well.  When she did not move he said harshly, "Get up, Helen.  You have to help Chris."

The teenage girl trembled as she slowly stood.  When she met her father's pale gaze with her own, she nodded her head.  Duo took her face in one hand and kissed her forehead.  He then reached to grab Zara, but Shadi said, "I have her."  His voice was shaking.  He knew that he looked pitiful, but he remembered what his father had told him.  He was the man now, and he had to protect his sister.  

Duo started toward the washroom.  They crowded at the entrance of the small detergent smelling room, and watched in shock as the elder Maxwell yanked the washing machine away, revealing a metal trap door with a code lock.  Punching some keys, the door opened.  Duo turned to them and said, "The Liberators are here, just outside the house.  They're here for me, and for all of you.  Now you all are going to hide in here.  It's a safe room that I built incase of…emergencies."  He suddenly chuckled.  "The door is going to lock as soon as it's shut, and cannot be opened without the code.  No fire, grenade, or hacker can get in.  Now, in you go."

"Dad…" protested Chris, "Wait…"

Duo's eyes flashed with something dangerous as he grabbed his son and shoved him down into the safe cell.  Chris shouted in shock as he fell in, twisting he collided with the floor on his back, Sylvy crying and struggling safe in his arms.

"Daddy!"  Cried Helen.

"Get in Helen."  Snapped Duo.  The girl stiffened, but slowly she lowered herself in.  Duo then helped Kayla down, Helen catching her youngest sister as she was let go.  For a moment, Duo paused, looking down at all four of his offspring.  His eyes shattered into a million pieces as Shadi saw the grief that the man was actually feeling behind the smiling mask of Death.

Finally, he looked away from his children and turned to Shadi and Zara.  Shadi let him take Zara in first.  His sister was whimpering in fear as she was lowered, but Helen immediately had her in her arms, holding the girl.  

"Dad!  No!"  Cried Chris again, struggling to his feet.

At his cry, three things happened at once.  In the other room, the front door burst into splinters as men in masks and armored vests, armed with grenades and guns came into the Maxwell's white-carpeted family room.  At the explosion, Duo grabbed Shadi and flung him into the cell at the same time Sylvy managed to break free from Chris.  With amazing speed and strength she flung herself up and latched onto her father. Shrieking she pulled herself up and out, flinging away from Duo and running into the family room.

There was a scream and the sound of struggling.

"SYLVY!"  Screamed Duo.  But he turned around and with a final look at the children in the dark cell room; he shut the trap door, plunging them into darkness.

"Dad!  No!  Sylvy!"  Chris banged at the door, and then began cursing in rage.

Helen grabbed his arm, weeping and tried to pull him down.  She cried softly to him, "Chris please!  They'll hear us!  
  


Chris froze and looked at her, then slipped to the ground, holding her close.    Kayla slowly crawled up to her elder siblings, and Chris enveloped her in his arms protectively.  Even in the darkness Shadi knew that he was crying.  Beside him Zara placed her head on his shoulder and he felt his shoulder become wet.

It was silent.  Totally silent.

Then from above, Sylvy started to scream.

"DADDY!!!!" "Shut up bitch!" 

At her pain-filled voice Kayla threw herself away from her brother and sister, and started rocking.  Helen buried herself deeper into her brother's arm, and Chris's shoulder's shook in silent sobs at the sound of his sister suffering.

"Please!  Please stoppit!  You're hurting me!" 

Kayla started to chant, "No hears…no one listens…no one comes to save me…I know…I know…"

Shadi shivered and covered his ears as best as he could as Zara clutched at him painfully.  His mind played tricks on him.  He saw the beautiful Sylvy smiling at him, and heard her kind gentle voice.  Yet he could not believe that piercing scream belonged to her.  No…not to Sylvy.  Maybe Mr. Maxwell had gotten her out and escaped.  Maybe that was another girl screaming…

Her screams lowered till they couldn't hear anything.  

"I know…I know…"

For how long they sat there in the dark safe cell, they had no clue.  Only odd sounds from above, and Kayla's odd unnerving chanting broke the silence.  Helen and Chris were at one side, Chris and Zara at the other, and in the middle was Kayla.  For some reason, Shadi felt there was something off by this, like something was missing, or they were doing something wrong.

The unbidden thoughts of his father came into Shadi's mind.  He had a feeling that if his father had been present he could have known what exactly what Shadi was missing.  His father had always had an uncanny knack for noticing what was not obvious.  He had told him that he had the same gift, it was just he was inexperienced and knew too little of the world.  He thoughts drifted to his parent's situation.  These Liberators wanted his father, and now Mr. Maxwell.  It was becoming obvious to Shadi that money was not an issue.  There was something else they wanted.  Why else would they say that his father was a traitor?

"Kayla!  Stop talking!  Just shut up!"  Hissed Chris suddenly, pulling away from Helen, and gripping Kayla's shoulders in his hands.  "Stop it!  You're not crazy!  You're not!  You're not!"  He shook her harshly.

"Chris!  Stop that!"  Said Helen, pulling him away from the girl.

Kayla gave both her elder siblings a black look and pointed at them accusingly.  "You don't know.  You two don't know anything…" Then she twisted and pointed at a pale Zara.  "Neither do you!  You're brother heard you and he listened and he came to save you.  That's why he smelled it.  That's why he knows…cause you don't hear him at all!"  She looked at Shadi then, a fiery yet sad look in her eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness.  "Sylvy knows now.  She knows…she knows…" The girl sobbed and rocked even more and whispered, "Daddy knew…he knew what it was like to scream and no one to come…no one…no one…"

Everyone froze when they heard someone stepping above them.  Even Kayla quit her rocking and chanting.  All five of them lifted their heads towards that trap door and waited as there was the sound of boots coming to stop right above the trap door.  A minute or two passed before the trap door slowly opened.  Chris immediately placed himself in front his younger companions, raising his fists in defense to fight off whoever was there to take them.

The artificial light of the washing room blinded them all before they found a single man standing at the entrance.  He had messy dark brown hair, and a pair of cold cobalt blue eyes.  He wore black pants and a white blouse that was unbuttoned at the top, and the cuffs rolled to his elbows.  The man looked straight at Chris and reached a hand down.  "Christopher Maxwell, my name is Heero Yuy, a friend of you're fathers.  I am here to get all you kids out."

Shadi gasped, for it was true, Heero Yuy was there reaching to help them!  Shadi had met Heero Yuy years ago when he had been very little.  His parents had held a late party at the mansion, and Relena Dorlan and her husband were attending.  Shadi had woken up after one of his nightmares and had drifted around the long corridors alone.  He had then bumped into Heero Yuy who was leaning against the door.

_"What are you doing here?"  _He had asked curiously.  Why would a guest be standing around away from the party?

"I don't exactly mix in with your father's friends that well."  Had been his reply.

"I don't either.  They're boring and they pinch my cheeks hard and pick me up when I don't want them too, and don't listen when I say no and that's not nice."

"I agree."

_"I had a nightmare, and my room is scary right now.  So, don't tell Umi that I was up.  She'll get mad."_

_"What about you father?"_

_"Na ah.  Baba won't get mad cause he understands how scary my nightmares are.  He says that when I get a nightmare I should walk awhile till I'm brave again, then I can go back to sleep."_

_"Does your Mother know that he said that?"_

_"No way!  Umi would make Baba sleep on the couch again and Zara will be mad at me cause she'll say its my fault!  But, its okay, cause I let Baba sleep in my room.  When he sleeps in my room the nightmares get scared and runaway."_

Heero Yuy seemed to smirk at that.  _"Are you brave again?"_

Shadi remembered thinking about it before nodding his head.  _"I think so…but can you please come with me...just in case I'm not brave enough."_

_"I'm sure you are brave enough."_

_"Just in case."_

_"Hn"_

Shadi pushed past Chris and took Heero's Yuy's hand.  The man seemed surprised at the sudden trust, but then said gently, "Well met, Shadi Winner."  

Before he managed to pull Shadi up the boy pulled back slightly, "Is it safe?"

"Yes."

Shadi turned back to the others, and flinched when he saw Zara's look of horror.  "Don't worry," He told them in his most convincing voice.  "This is Heero Yuy's, Vice Foreign Minister Relena Dorlan's husband.  I know him, he's a friend!"

He allowed the man to help him out, and then next Kayla took the man's hand and was next to Shadi.  She leaned close to the boy and whispered, "He knows…"

Chris let the girls out, and then came last.  He immediately gave Heero a suspicious look.  "My Dad said that no one knew the code.  How'd you open the trap door?"

"I helped your father design that lock.  Come."  He turned away from them and led them to the family room.  

All of them flinched at the carnage.  The white carpet was stained with dirt and blood.  The couches had been slashed with knives, and the vid and every other furniture was smashed.  There were eight bodies of men in masks and armor staining the white floor.  A body on the couch that they all knew was Hilde's body had been covered with one of the curtains.  On the slashed love seat was another curled up body covered with another sheet of curtains that had been wrapped around snugly.

Heero went to the love seat and picked up the body carefully.  He then went to Chris and tenderly gave the body to him.  "This is you're sister, Sylvy.  She's alive, but is severely injured.  Can you protect her, Maxwell?"

"Y-Yes sir!  Of course I can!"  Gasped Chris, holding the sister he thought was lost closely to him.

Helen was immediately was by her brother's side, reaching Sylvy's body.  Heero grabbed her hand.  "Not now.  Reinforcements will be coming soon. I have a shuttle ready for all of us at you're father's private shuttle bay.  When we have gotten off of this colony you can check her.  We will be going to the colony in the L3 District.  I have a friend who has experience medicine and healing.  Now, lets get out of here."

Heero reached down next to one of the dead bodies and picked up a machine gun.  He started heading toward the door, when Chris said, "Wait!  My…my Mother!"

"She's dead."

"I know that!"  Cried Chris.  "We just can't leave her here!  You can hold Sylvy, and I'll take my Mother, alright?"  He said beseechingly.

Heero gave him a look that even though it was solely aimed at him, the others shivered at it.  "You're mother is dead, Maxwell.  Hilde doesn't need protection anymore, for she's done her job and sacrificed her life for Duo and all of you.  Sylvy is alive, and needs protection.  Who will hold the gun while we run?  Shall your sister hold it?  How about Winner?  It's time to grow up, Maxwell.  Protect those who need protection, and not those who no longer need it."

Chris looked like he had been smacked in the face.  His face had turned grayish, his lips thinned into a straight line.  Helen whispered, "But…her body…"

Heero looked at her.  "I've set a bomb that I can explode at the press of a button.  Once we're clear of the colony I'm setting it off."

"YOU'RE GOING TO BLOW UP OUR HOUSE!"  Yelled Chris in shock.

Heero glared at him.  "Stop being selfish!  Would you rather prefer to leave her body for the Liberators to use?!  We are leaving nothing for them behind.  Now MOVE IT!"  He grabbed Chris by the neck and threw him toward the door.  Chris stumbled forward to the broken entrance and looked back in dismay and grief.  "Lead the way, Maxwell.  I'm going to guard you the rear.  Move."

Helen went beside her brother and injured sister and they walked out.  Zara now seeming not to need Shadi's support anymore pulled away and walked behind them.  Shadi feeling abandoned, jumped when Kayla's cold hand clasped it.  He looked at her and she said, "We have to stick together, cause they don't understand, but we do."

Shadi swallowed hard and nodded his head, his eyes filling with tears as he looked back at the room that now smelled of blood and death.

And I knew it was coming…I could smell it coming… 

Hand in hand, the youngest Winner, and the youngest Maxwell walked out, with the veteran Heero Yuy, armed, covering their backs.

It was exactly 15 minutes and 37 seconds later, that the Maxwell household blew up in a ball of flames and smoke…destroying everything within it…the enemies…and a woman who had been killed protecting her husband and children…

Hilde Schreiber Maxwell.

***~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~***

Shadi woke up with a gasp, the threads of a nightmare disappearing before he could remember what it was.  Slowly, he looked around, and found Zara, Kayla, and Helen asleep on the floor beside him.  They had thrown a bunch of blankets on the metal floor of the shuttle and had cuddled together for warmth.  On the cot just across from them was a beaten and unconscious Sylvy.

Shadi had no clue what the Liberators had done to her.  Helen and Zara had started crying, and Chris had thrown-up while they were treating her extensive wounds.  He knew they had whipped her, and had cut and burned her in some places.  But there was something else they were not willing to tell either him or Kayla about.  Though he immaturely resented the fact that they were hiding something from him, he was silently relieved, for deep inside him he did not want to know what they did to make her scream the way she did.

Getting up, he stepped over an open medical kit, and went to the hanger.  There he found Chris asleep in his seat, and Heero Yuy looking over the controls.  Without looking back, Heero spoke, "You should be sleeping."

Shadi jumped involuntarily and answered softly, "I…I had a nightmare, and need to walk it off."  He blushed, knowing he sounded the same way he did all those years ago.  He sounded like a frightened child.  Like a coward.

"You were brave, Shadi Winner."

Once again Shadi jumped.  "Excuse me?"

Heero still did not look back at him. "You were brave back then, and you were brave today."

Shadi felt a smile tugging at his lips.  "How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I knew you're father very well, Shadi.  You're a lot like him."

Shadi blushed again, but this time in pride.

"Go back to sleep.  You need the rest."

"Yes sir."

Shadi turned around and walked back to where the girls still lay slumbering.  But he stopped before he reached his side of the blankets when he saw the cot empty and the hunched form of Sylvy, wrapped in her blanket, and hovering over the medicine kit.

Shadi opened his mouth in joy, wanting to call to her, but something stilled his voice and froze his limbs.  He watched in awed horror as Sylvy lifted a pale hand, holding a pair of scissors.  With her other hand she yanked at her dark sable hair that had been released of its braid and started snipping the strands and flinging them away like they burned.

The scissors flashed in the dim light of the shuttle, and the hair continued to fly till she threw dropped the scissors and ran her hair through her now short-cropped hair.  She then turned and looked at him, her face just as pale as her hands, but covered in bruises and cuts.  

Yet it wasn't her hair or her face that made Shadi fear the hunched girl.  It was her eyes that struck terror in Shadi's young heart.  Those once violet star-lit eyes no longer shun brightly with life.  They were cold, dead, and cruel, with not a hint of passion or kindness in them.

She grinned at him suddenly; her split and cut lips stretching, her dead eyes staring.  And when she spoke, Shadi began to tremble at the stranger staring at him like she wanted to tear him to pieces and drink his blood.

"Hello.  I am Death."

TO BE CONTINUED…@.@

Oh

My

God

I finally finished this chapter.  Took forever but I did it!

Please give me some feedback!  

Yes, I am the devil incarnate.  I killed Hilde, raped Sylvy, and am too tired to go over this chapter to see what else I've done to the kids and their parents.

Love ya!  Bye!


End file.
